Fighting Echoes
by serafina19
Summary: As identities and affiliations are exposed, the JL begins to form. But once an old foe re-emerges and raises the stakes, Evie is forced to determine how much she is willing to sacrifice to protect everyone she cares about. Sequel to "Notbroken."
1. August part 1

**Warnings: **Coarse language, violence and adult content... and I mess with canon, a lot. Please note after August part 2, the rating will go up to M. I just wanted to allow those who have followed the story from day one to have answers.

_Sera's Scribbles: I apologize for the insanely long delay, but this is a huge departure from my usual, as you can probably tell by the warning tag, so yeah... fingers crossed. _

* * *

><p><strong>August<strong>

_**August 1**_

Since coming to Metropolis, Evie would often find herself eating her lunch in this park. It was peaceful, happy, and there was light and love no matter where she looked. Rain or shine, the view was always better than the break room at Metro because Evie had enough of small dark spaces to last a lifetime.

But today was different, even though she sat on her same bench like any other day. It had taken some work for Evie to find someone to cover her shift, but she had been successful. Even though the text had caught her off-guard, as did hearing his voice on the phone, she was really looking forward to seeing him again. After all, he was one of the few who knew who, and what, she really was. Yet despite her anticipation, Evie couldn't help but wonder why he decided to reach out now, but knowing him, he likely figured out what she was planning.

She looked up and caught his eye as he approached her from the opposite end of the park. Over five years had passed since Evie last saw Victor Stone, and he honestly hadn't changed much, besides the obvious healings of torture marks. Evie looked down at the make-up that covered some of her own scars, which only reminded her of the day it all changed.

It started like any other, but of course, that's how all these stories are. She had been coming home from soccer practice when she noticed the black SUV parked in the drive-way. Initially, she thought nothing of it, as her need for a shower overwhelmed everything else. But her mother called her into their living room before she had a chance to get upstairs and that's when Evie, or rather Emily, saw them.

Maybe because she had seen too many movies, but seeing two guys on the couch wearing suits and sunglasses seemed like a bad sign. Her mother told her that they were here to 'cure' her, like she was some sort of cancer to the family. Initially, she frantically tried to explain, glancing over towards her father, who just said nothing and looked away. Then, Evie felt grateful for her training from her Uncle Don as she fought them off, but a third man caught her off-guard and slowed her down enough for the men to overpower her.

Looking into her mother's eyes, tears running down her face, Evie remembered pleading with her.

"_I'm fine; you don't have to do this."_

She had expected some remorse, or at least a little eye contact, but both her parents looked away from her, and to this day Evie didn't know if it was disappointment or embarrassment. The only words she heard before the syringe entered her neck were her mother's.

"_Get her out of my sight."_

She was seventeen, just turned it the month before, and that was last time she saw her parents, and she never got to say goodbye to her brothers. LuthorCorp personnel fed the line to her parents that she would only be gone for a year, but weeks later, they told them she had died, and to the majority of the world, Emily Hopkins died as a result of a hit and run while vacationing in London. And even though she only faced the cruel reality of that world for six months, it was enough to take her away from the life she knew.

In March, Evie had returned to her hometown secretly. She had found the place where they had buried another person's body in her place, and she found herself crying, as that person would never receive the respect she, if it even was a she, deserved, and the flowers that lay next to it would never be for her. That's why when she placed the bouquet down, Evie found herself apologizing for everything.

It wasn't fair that it was this way, that she had been standing in her hometown and she couldn't tell anyone. She couldn't tell her childhood friend congratulations on getting engaged to her high-school sweetheart, she couldn't tell her brothers that she was alive and never wanted to leave. The saddest part of everything was that despite trying to seem inconspicuous, no one recognized her. Apparently longer hair, coloured contacts and growing an inch, maybe two was enough to disguise her as she watched her mother's funeral from a few rows down.

To make matters worse, just a day later, she returned to Anne Arbor, to Scott, to these words:

"_I love you... but I can't do this anymore."_

Those words broke her heart, but she should have known it was only a matter of time before something like that happened. After all, the biggest mistake she made was falling for him, but for just a fraction of time, she thought she had beaten everything she had been running from. But life always got in the way, and it was because she loved him that she couldn't fight for a second chance because now... now she was preparing to pick up her bags for real.

She had secretly booked a flight under a new alias and was set to begin a new life at the end of the month, before Lex had a chance to find her in Metropolis and ruin the happiness her friends deserved. It was that reason that she wanted to see Victor while she still could, to at least say goodbye to one of her friends.

Looking up again, she saw him standing over her, gesturing towards the empty space next to her. "This seat open?" he asked. While they weren't the ideal words after not seeing each other for years, they had to play this cool. Even though they had been aware of each other's existence for a long time, they couldn't risk getting caught over being nostalgic.

"Go ahead," Evie replied with a smile, but otherwise holding back how happy she was to see him. Once he had settled, she added, "We're clear?"

Victor nodded before turning his head towards her. "It's good to see you... I can't say I ever expected to see you on the other side."

That statement was met with a scoff from Evie. "Speak for yourself." Back then, she really thought that he was a goner after he risked his life to get her out. But after all, sacrifice, risks, they seemed to be common themes in her life... along with the uncertainty if even she could get through each day alive.

"So I have to ask, why did you choose Evie?"

Instead of answering, Evie fired back, "The better question is why you didn't change your name." It was something that never added up to her. Sure, she may have been the important piece, but Victor was essential to Lionel's plan as well, and if Lex was anything like she suspected, Victor would probably be more useful.

"I'm more valuable to him on the outside. The Blur got me out, and Lex wants him more than he'll ever want me, not to mention that he wants to narrow down Arrow's identity as well." Victor calmly shrugged before adding, "I'm still on Lex's radar, but for now, those connections keep me out of the cells."

Evie rolled her eyes. "Okay, I figured the Blur out through Lionel's constant bantering about 'The Traveller' and a yearbook photo, how hasn't Lex?"

"You never _asked _Chloe?" Victor asked with an eyebrow raised, implication not lost on Evie as she rolled her eyes again.

"Once I knew who she was, I figured I had a chance of normalcy and I took it, knowing that in case she found out that she'd be one of the few people that would understand." Feeling a sudden draft, Evie blew warm air into her hands. "I didn't want to jeopardize that by faking our friendship."

"Fair enough," Victor replied. "Of course, there's also the connection to you..."

"Which is why I'm wondering why you contacted me."

Not even fazed by her fake curiosity, Victor said easily, "Come on, Evie, we both know that answer."

After hearing those words, Evie looked down at her hands, which oddly had become a metaphor for her life. Working with coffee had its consequences, the steam drying out her skin, and as much as she tried to cover it with pleasant-smelling lotion... the cracks returned almost effortlessly.

For years, Evie had covered so much up, but she was getting too attached to this life, wanting nothing more to throw caution away and be honest. However, Evie hadn't because she thought it risked too much, and now the cracks in her demeanour were beginning to break through. "I have to go."

"And then what?" Victor replied almost instantly. "Get a haircut, make new friends, only to switch your money into a fake Swiss bank account five years later and run away again?"

"You've been tracking me?"

"Someone has to. No one else knows what you're doing."

"What do you suggest?" Evie asked as her gaze trailed to a family across in the park, playing together with smiles that almost lit up Evie's face before a frown promptly took its place. She had long accepted that not everyone got the happy ending that she desired, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. "You know it's only a matter of time before Lex finds me here."

"Then why come here in the first place? Please tell me that it wasn't to play Cupid."

It may have been part of the reason, but Evie replied honestly, "I wanted to hold onto what I had left for a little while."

Victor grabbed her hand, watching as her eyes found his, so he squeezed her hand harder. "So hold onto it, fight back. Bring down Lex and allow yourself to live again. You know who will win in a game of cat and mouse, and you can't let him Evie, not without a fight."

Evie bit her bottom lip, shaking her head as she retracted her hand. "I can't join you guys Vic, I _lied_ to them. All this time..."

"You were protecting them," Victor finished. "Chloe was trying to move on from Clark, Oliver was hiding his alter ego, and you were hiding your past. Just because you knew all three doesn't make it worse."

"They'll probably hate me." Her argument at this point was as thin as her voice as she whispered the words, but Evie was genuinely scared. These friendships were stronger than she ever imagined, and even if it killed her to walk away, it stung more thinking that maybe there was a chance that they'd assume that everything had been a lie and walk away from her.

She knew Chloe and Oliver, she had no reason to doubt them, but Evie couldn't help it, and not surprisingly, Victor wasn't buying it.

"You said it yourself that they would likely be more accepting of you having abilities, and you know that they accepted me with open arms. I'm not going to lie... they'll probably be surprised, but don't they deserve the truth?"

When she didn't respond, Victor's gaze finally left Evie, staring around the park, seeing the appeal it held for his friend. If anyone understood what it was like to miss what they once had, it was him. He too couldn't hold onto the person he loved, the difference was that she knew his secret, but she couldn't accept him for who he had become.

He couldn't blame Katherine, there were days where _he _didn't accept what he was, and thought he deserved to stay dead with his family, instead of living as a cyborg monster. But Evie, Oliver, everyone he had met once out of 33.1 really, convinced him that he was worth something, that he could do some good in the world.

Sitting here now, Victor realized that it was his turn to tell someone their value; even if it was the last person he thought he'd tell it to. "You're smarter than you give yourself credit Evie, keeping yourself off the radar for so long, there's no reason you can't keep doing that."

Evie appreciated the comment, but she knew that she only did a portion of the work. "I still owe you thanks for Germany... for keeping that a secret from everybody."

_Everybody_, including her, an accusation that Victor didn't miss. "I'm sorry I had Bart lie to you." He had purposely kept her out of the loop, hoping that she'd let the whole thing go, but instead she seemed intent on taking the high road.

"I figured it out easily enough, but what exactly was the money for?"

It was Victor's turn to sigh, remembering something that haunted him for months. "The analyst found a single piece of paper with the SCU logo and a partial identification number that he hoped to restore to its original form. The reason it took so long to find was because there were five rooms of evidence from the fire. He had found it inside of a phone book, but he never relayed specifics to Lex because he didn't want to take any chances over the phone in case he was being tapped."

He smirked momentarily, trying to find optimism in what happened. "Lucky guess for him, but fortunately for us, I deleted any digital trace and Bart was able to intercept the packages so I could destroy the physical evidence... even though only one envelope had the correct piece."

"Where is he?" Evie whispered.

"The package was being sent to the Luthor mansion." Taking a single breath, Victor added carefully, "Are you sure that you can trust Tess?"

"What?"

"I know she's your inside woman. Nice deal you got after you found out Lex was using Tess to spy on the world."

Evie bit the inside of her cheek, realizing that Victor knew more than she thought. "I'm always cautious about trusting her, which is why she has yet to see me in person. However, she was the one put the device on his phone and she owes me for more than the cameras."

"I know," Victor said with a smirk.

"Of course you do," Evie replied, swallowing the lump in her throat, "I can't hide much from you it seems."

"Does it make you feel better that I had to work really hard to figure all this out?" It didn't, only because Evie was afraid that she hadn't been careful as she thought which Victor seemed to sense. "Lex has no clue, he's searching, but he's not onto you yet."

Evie shook at her head as her gaze finally moved away towards the other people in the park. "Why do you care Victor? Why risk yourself for my sake?"

He looked at her defeated expression as she eventually dropped her face in her hands. She wasn't crying, that much he knew, but he still placed his hand carefully on her shoulder, hoping to reassure her. "I seem to remember a girl who saved me from a few rounds of torture just to be tortured herself. Sure, the only way we saw each other was with our hands tied behind our backs, but you're still my friend. I think you deserve a chance to live a real life."

Evie replied skeptically, "And you really think I can achieve that by fighting back?"

"It's risky, but you can't keep running, especially when you've made yourself a life again."

"So what do you want me to do?"

Victor reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out a card. "Show up at this address, top floor, at 9 am tomorrow. Pass-code is on the back."

"I'll think about it." Evie stared at the card, and while she had an idea of the location, she had no idea what he was planning. Tapping it against her fingers, she looked back up at him, "For what it's worth, it was good seeing you again."

At this point, Victor couldn't hope for much more, so he pushed himself up from the bench, turning his head back to say, "I hope to see you around Evie," before walking away.

* * *

><p><em><strong>August 2<strong>_

Swinging his arm to hit the snooze button on his alarm clock, Oliver groaned as he rubbed his eyes awake. Sure, the view was great from his perspective, but the pestering sound he had just shut off meant that his view would change soon enough.

He heard Chloe yawn before she turned around in his arms. "Morning."

"For some of us," he replied as he kissed her forehead. "Go back to sleep."

Chloe frowned as she felt his body leave her. "Do you really have to go this morning?"

Oliver headed over to the closet, holding onto the resolve he had by a thread. Slipping on a pair of pants, he finally replied. "Victor said that he has something for me to see."

"Guy thing?" Chloe asked, wondering why she wasn't invited to Watchtower this morning.

"Beats me, but he insisted that I come without my better half." Doing up the final button on his shirt, he added, "His words, not mine."

"What? You doubt them?"

Grabbing a nearby tie, Oliver put it around his neck as he walked back over to the bed. Sitting down, he watched as she sat up to meet him halfway, so he leaned in and whispered, "Not for a second," before taking her lips to his.

Chloe was quick to deepen the kiss, a quick reminder of what he would be missing, and it seemed to work as Oliver backed away.

"You could always join me for a quick shower?"

She chuckled. "You're already dressed… and besides, the last time that happened was the most unproductive shower I've ever had." Seeing his expression sour, Chloe placed a finger under his chin while tilting her head to the side. "But I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it."

Seeing his eyes darken before her, Chloe shook her head. "We have the entire day after you leave Watchtower... I can wait a couple of hours."

Kissing her one more time before standing back up, Oliver smiled at that implication. "I'll be right back."

**~0~**

Opening the double doors of Watchtower, Oliver announced, "Okay, I'm here...what's the big emergency?" Confused as to the dark state of Watchtower, he was about to fire up the main console, when he took another look around the main area. "Victor, you here?"

For a couple seconds, it was silence, but eventually a different voice called out, "Hi Oliver."

Oliver's head jerked back upon hearing her voice. "Evie? What are you doing here?" He looked up to see her calmly leaning against the railing on the upper level.

_This was it,_ she thought, _time to face it_. "I have some... explaining to do," Evie replied as she lifted her arms over the railing and began to head towards the staircase. "And I couldn't exactly tell you what I'm about to say in a coffee shop."

"How did you find this place? We agreed to keep you out of the loop."

"That was before," Evie stated as she descended the steps. She would tell Oliver the truth, but she had so much to say that she couldn't start there. "I can't sit back anymore Oliver."

"What are you talking about?"

"Lex Luthor is alive."

Oliver's eyes appropriately widened at that bombshell, wondering how on earth the conversation had switched to the status of Lex, which only added to the mystery of Evie's presence in Watchtower. Based off her expression, she seemed confident, but there was also an air of anxiety in her body language, which meant whatever she had to tell him wasn't going to be easy.

When Evie figured that he had enough time to digest the news, she continued. "I have proof and I want to help you shut him down instead of hiding behind a computer screen."

She gauged his expression, less shock this time, but Evie noticed the wheels in his head were turning. Eventually, Oliver looked straight at her and stated, "You were our informant." Watching her nod in response, he began thinking over everything she had done, reminding of things that Oliver had chalked off to luck. "Then..."

Seeing where he was going with that, she cut him off. "I'll answer that later. First... throw something in the air."

"What?"

"Just do it." He obliged, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket and tossed it. _Interesting choice,_ she thought as she began her confession of sorts.

She flicked her fingers up, watching as the phone went higher in the air, stopping it about twenty feet up. Then she waved her hands back and forth, as the phone's movement followed her motions above her. Finally, Evie pulled her fingers back, and the cell phone fell, only to be stopped seconds from the ground. Leaning down, she grabbed the phone and peered up at Oliver's gaped expression before calmly tossing his phone back to him.

"Come on Oliver, you work with a guy who talks to sea mammals and a cyborg, telekinesis shouldn't surprise you."

Blinking back his obvious shock, Oliver shoved his phone back into his pocket. "I didn't..."

"No," Evie replied, pointing her finger towards him, "but you thought it."

"How haven't I noticed anything?"

She shrugged, striding around the room as she explained, "Years of training by my uncle allowed me the chance to be, well, normal."

"To me, this," Evie said, pausing to pull a pen that was lying on the main console across the room towards her hand, smirking as she caught it. "All this is like a light switch. When I need to use them, I can. Otherwise, well, I'm just like you."

Smirking, Evie turned and added, "Oh and to answer your incomplete question from earlier, Impulse is my cousin Bart. I'm responsible for the camera work, and the digital intelligence, but I can't run like him, so Bart did most of the field work, _which_ includes dropping you off at the hospital back in March."

Surprise out of his system, Oliver just let out a single chuckle upon hearing that. If nothing else, it did explain how his identity wasn't revealed that night, but how she knew that was on his mind was a different matter. "So I take it you also have telepathy."

Evie playfully rolled her eyes. "Among other things."

"Like?"

"I'm getting there, but I suppose that I can tell you that I have _excellent_ hearing."

Calculating all the information he had at his disposal, Oliver finally found himself catching on. "You and Victor go way back, don't you?" For once, there was surprise in her eyes, which Oliver had taken as an affirmative. "It's how you got up here, but it's also why he said that he couldn't track Bart down. He was protecting you."

Evie nodded. "People tend to do that."

"It really is a small world, isn't it?"

"You have no idea," she deadpanned.

"Is there a story attached to that statement too?"

After a quick purse of the lips, Evie pointed to the nearby couch. "You might want to sit down."

"I'm fine thanks."

"Well, I warned you." She took a deep breath, knowing this was the beginning of the tough part. "Germany wasn't a waste of time. Victor covered it up well, but... you're familiar with the name Emily Hopkins, right?"

"Sure, Victor told us she was an isolated subject in the Smallville facility...that she's known as the Anastasia of 33.1. After the first disturbance, it was unknown if she died or escaped. Why?" Evie pointed her fingers towards herself, waiting for him to realize what she meant. It didn't take long. "You mean that—"

"That as far as the world's concerned, I should be dead? Then yeah."

Shaking his head, Oliver did take a seat on the couch. Sure, there was a mystery to Evie, but this? This he had never expected. The sensation of his phone vibrating in his jacket pocket brought him back to reality, and without thinking he pulled it out, but staring at the caller ID brought a whole new facet to the problem, and Evie was quick to make that connection.

"Chloe right?"

He nodded, and although he wanted to answer, there were more pressing matters here, so he pressed ignore, hoping Chloe would understand. She would be affected more by this than he would, but for now, he had to listen to Evie.

Watching him put his phone away, she shook her head. "I feel like a hypocrite right now. All this time, telling you to tell her the truth, when I had the biggest secret of all."

"It wasn't like you didn't have a good reason to keep yourself hidden."

"So did you," Evie replied, knowing that Oliver wanted to protect Chloe just as much as she wanted to protect both of them. "But I got so used to hiding from people that I forgot what it meant it to trust someone. Keeping it from you two wasn't exactly something I'm proud of, but your friendship is part of the reason I want to fight back."

"So what really happened? Victor doesn't talk about his days behind the scenes. I always thought it was trauma-related, but now I'm almost convinced that it had to do with you."

Evie waved her head back and forth. "That's likely true. As you know, Lionel wanted to control all of us: metas, meteor freaks, cyborgs... it didn't matter. He kept the people he needed close to him, hence why we were in Smallville. Victor was created so they could control anything powered by machines: power and water supplies, along with any necessary database. Me, as you probably know... I can control people."

Finally taking a seat, Evie stared ahead as she continued to explain, "Torture only worked for so long, and bodies can build immunity to drugs, but mind control... not so much. At the time, I was too weak for them, but they would work every day to make sure I would be enough one day."

She found herself swallowing hard before turning her head to look at Oliver. "But then Lionel starting changing his mind, I suppose I have Clark to thank for that. Lionel began to second-guess the project and letting people go, but not us... we were too valuable."

"Yet you still got out."

Knowing what she had to say, Evie still bit her bottom lip. "Which is where this thing gets complicated for us... the death of Dr. Terrence Lee."

"That's impossible..."

"Because you met with him?" Evie finished with a raised eyebrow. "That was Issac, a fellow inmate, our resident shape-shifter whose purpose was to ensure Luthorcorp couldn't be framed for any of our activities. Dr. Lee had been given six months to live and decided to make a difference. He gave Issac a placebo medication so he could escort Vic and me out posing as the doctor and he also gave Victor the pass-codes to get out. Lex's, or rather, Lionel's goons saved the doctor a lot of pain."

"What went wrong?"

Closing her eyes, Evie was brought back to that moment, the adrenalin she felt as the escape took a turn for the worse. "The second last door triggered the alarm. Victor kept them at bay so Issac and I could escape. No matter how much it hurt both of us; we left and didn't look back. The rendezvous point wasn't far, so days later, feds set us up in California and kept the investigation notes at a minimum to keep us safe."

"So you were probably the reason... Issac met with me?"

Evie nodded. "I figured Oliver Queen wouldn't want to help a LuthorCorp project... your mutual hatred is well-documented. I mean, sure you could have had a competing project, but let's just say I noticed the man behind the image long before most of the world."

"Really?"

Allowing a smile to release some of the tension she was feeling, Evie explained, "When people focused on your questionable nightly exploits, I zeroed in on your hours spent at the children's hospitals and orphanages around Star City, not to mention your various donations to other charities. It was a hunch, but I was right."

That comment brought Oliver back to that night in January when Evie had outright stated that he was Green Arrow. At the time, her reasoning had made sense, but now, hearing everything she had gone through, it was clear Evie knew even prior to that. "That probably made Green Arrow easier to determine."

"Yeah," Evie replied, her smile getting wider, "I knew from your first event it was you, but that had more to do with Vic than anything."

"You were also the one who helped us track him down, weren't you?"

"Guilty," Evie said, chuckling as she raised her hand in fake defence. "I didn't know what you were planning, but from what I eavesdropped when you met with Issac, I wanted to trust you. Victor needed someone to keep him safe... you provided that for him."

"Why did Issac meet us as the doctor and not as himself?"

"The fed's only contact was Dr. Lee, he had to lie. I was too valuable, but they could have used Issac to testify against LuthorCorp. We all want to bring the Luthors down, but we also knew Issac was a dead man if he revealed himself."

It was tough for Evie to admit that maybe her and Issac could have stopped 33.1 years ago, but considering what happened with her, even the witness protection program had its flaws. As grateful as they were, they weren't about to risk their freedom that easily. "Once I had established my current identity, I forged some documentation so Issac could live as himself at that safe house you provided him in Italy."

Remembering the day that they parted, the last time she saw Issac's real face brought back the hopeful feeling Evie had in having a real future, a future that would took her places that she never expected. It had been years since she had spoken to Issac, but she knew he was safe, and that was enough. "You have no idea how much freedom means to him."

"What about your freedom? Why didn't you disappear to some island or something?"

It was then that Evie's smile faded and she dipped her head. "I wanted to risk having a second chance at a normal life here. So they set up my life in Star City, my handler training me in hacking, self-defence and current events. Once they figured that I was dead to the Luthors, he brought me to SCU, gave me a future to look forward to. He pulled a lot of strings to get me into SCU in time for fall semester."

"Your handler, you mean..." Oliver's face paled as a realization hit him. He looked to Evie, hoping he'd reassure him otherwise, but instead she sadly grinned at him, confirming his thoughts. "It's a coincidence... isn't it?"

Pulling a hand through her brunette locks, Evie sighed. "You have no idea how much I _wish_ it was, but no."

"That's why... I can't believe it never dawned on me."

"Kane's a popular last name, and besides, I was one in a billion." Squeezing her eyes shut, Evie sighed again. "There's no way you could have known Oliver."

"I have to ask...the safe house?"

Out of everything she had to explain, this was the toughest thing to admit, which Oliver probably knew before he asked. But the blanks had to be filled, and after all, she was the one who brought up Germany. "You know that his cover was a social worker, and it was the place that he kept his clients, but I was a special case."

Wiping a tear from her eye, Evie added, "So special he had to burn it down so they couldn't make the connection. He burnt all of the evidence and then he stood in the centre of the house and watched it crumble to the ground with him still inside."

Gripping her fingers into her knees as tears continued to fall, she said softly, "I still don't understand why he did that, and even though it took me _years_ to track down the stolen evidence... the evidence you saw in Germany, I'm still not sure it was worth it."

Oliver wanted to say something to make her feel better, but he just sat there, watching as tears streamed down Evie's face, as she no longer cared to stop them. Despite her emotions, Evie sniffled and whispered, "I'm fine Oliver."

"No you're not." Standing up, he added, "I think that's enough for today." He saw Evie shake her head, but he leaned over to put a hand on her shoulder. "I don't care, anything else can wait."

He thought that would be enough, but instead she met his brown eyes, more determined than ever. "Please... let me finish," were her next words and they cut right through Oliver. Despite his resolve, he dropped his hand and gestured her to continue. Taking a step back, Oliver realized that she had to get this off her chest, and he owed her enough to let her finish.

After seeing the gesture, Evie pushed herself up to face him straight on. "From there, I just tried to hide in plain sight. Pushing friends away, keeping a low profile until you and Chloe came along."

She pursed her lips as she walked around Oliver, looking out the window again to find peace within herself. "With you two, I took a chance, because I genuinely enjoyed being around you. Granted, I knew what you could do, but I prayed that I would never actually need it."

Rubbing the tear stains off her face, she sat on the ledge, finding a sense of calm as she looked across the city. "But your disappearance resulted in people caring more about me, being part of Chloe's _entourage_. I got nervous and took off to Michigan the moment I could... but also because I knew that she'd be okay."

"And then you decided to risk it all by being our source?"

It may not have been the brightest idea, but Evie didn't regret it. "I wanted to help, even if it was silently. Unfortunately, they started tracing my hacking in February, so I panicked and got out. March, as you know, was rough for me, and –"

"Germany in April, but if you were out, then how...?"

Her eyes firmly looking down, Evie stood up again. "You're not going to like this."

"Try me."

"Tess." Seeing Oliver about to lose it, Evie quickly added, "She doesn't know who I am or what I look like or how I know about Lex. And before you point fingers, I'd like to say that you owe your merger, also known as your alibi for coming to Smallville, to me."

Oliver wasn't necessarily satisfied with her answer, but he calmed down enough to ask, "So she's on your side?"

"She's... testing the waters. She won't tell me where he is, but she tapped his phone so I could keep you guys informed. You can't blame her for not being fully trustful, but she walks the line well." Oliver's expression didn't change so Evie reassured him, "I know what I'm doing."

"So what exactly changed to allow you to come clean now?"

Taking a few steps, Evie replied, "Everything was looking up, so I thought I'd disappear before things turned sour on my account. But then I saw Victor for the first time in ages yesterday and he reminded me of everything that I wanted when I started over."

She bit her lip before looking up. "I have it Oliver. Friends, a portion of my family, a job I enjoy, these are things worth fighting to keep. I think there's a reason our paths keep coming together, and if I ignore that... then I'm just being selfish because I'm forgetting the thousands of 33.1 subjects who are suffering."

Feeling her confidence returning to her, Evie's expression hardened. "Lex has to be stopped, and I'm willing to pay whatever price that takes."

After a few minutes of pause, Oliver broke it. "Is that it?"

"More or less," Evie replied, finding it in herself smile at the sentiment Oliver showed her. "The rest can wait."

"In that case," Oliver said, walking over to her, "on behalf of everyone, I welcome you to the team."

At that, Evie's head popped up in surprise. "Just like that?"

Oliver just grinned back at her, but he asked genuinely, "Do we have a reason not to trust you?"

She shrugged a shoulder. "Not that I can think of."

"Then allow me to point out that you'd have Victor's and Chloe's and my votes by default. And I don't see why the others would object, although I will have to contact them and get their say. But know that you're not the only one with a target on your back when it comes to LuthorCorp. It's risky work, but we all take care of each other."

"Thank you Oliver." She smiled again as she collapsed on the couch, relief coming across her expression.

With a chuckle, Oliver asked, "Feel better?"

"A little." She sprung up momentarily to add, "It's okay if Bart joins too right? He's been dying to join you guys."

"Seeing as we've been trying to recruit him for months, it's only fair."

Evie exhaled loudly, falling back hard on the couch again, letting everything sink in. He was alright with it. Even though she had lied, even though she had been a hypocrite during their friendship, Oliver didn't show her the door. Instead, he held his hand out to her, showing the undying support she had always seen in him.

In the end, Evie really did have a great support system here, and she couldn't believe she was willing to throw it all away yesterday. Victor was right after all, things would get tough, but it beat knowing that if she left, she would negatively affect the lives of people who cared about her so much, not to mention her own cousin, who was kind of alone in the world without Evie around.

Thinking of him reminded Evie thought of an important detail, one she dared not skip over before Bart and Oliver met. "Don't suppose I could ask a favour?"

"What is it?"

"He... Bart...kind of has a crush on Chloe." Evie raised a hand to scratch the back of her neck. "I love him, and he's completely harmless, but he uses every cliché in the book. I'll ask that she lets him down easy, but you..."

"I read you." Oliver headed over to the coffee machine that he had installed for Chloe. "It's cold, but do you want some?"

"Please." Even though she was the barista of the group, her reliance on caffeine had seriously increased since meeting Chloe and right now, a cup of coffee sounded perfect to Evie, no matter the temperature or blend.

"I have to admit it's going to be interesting working with both you and Chloe now." Lifting the coffee pot back up to place it back in the maker, he pulled out a glass for himself. Thinking about the call he had dismissed, he asked, "When are you planning on telling her?"

Evie almost wanted to say _Never_, as she never wanted any of her friends to share her burden, least of all, Chloe who had gone through so much already. Yet at the same time, if Evie was ever going to tell anyone, Chloe would be the top of the list, but she would also the hardest person to tell. After all, Oliver could relate to her situation and he at least knew a portion of the story. But there was no turning back now, Evie had closed that door the moment she entered Watchtower.

"Soon... just the jumping off point of confessions for me."

Oliver trickled his fingers under the tap as he filled the glass with water. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I know every member of your team," Evie replied with a wide grin.

"We actually just—"

It didn't take telepathy for Evie to know where Oliver was going with this, so she promptly interjected, "Dinah Lance was my roommate in first year."

Oliver raised an eyebrow as he passed her cup. "That roommate?"

"Thanks," Evie said with a chuckle. "Yep, that roommate. Although we actually did get along, she just had some questionable habits."

With that, Oliver started laughing, realizing how true his comment about it being a small world was. "Anyone else in my life that you secretly know?"

Initially, Evie shook her head, but upon taking her first sip of coffee, she changed her mind. "In case I wasn't clear earlier, I'm aware of Clark's super-powered skills."

Oliver held his glass out and smiled. "And on that note... to delivering justice."

Evie moved her glass to his and said, "Cheers."

* * *

><p><em>Stay Tuned for Part 2<em>

* * *

><p><em>Sera's Scribbles: Yeah, I realize that cutting a chapter in half is unfair... but I figure that it's better this way so you can digest everything here.<em>


	2. August part 2

_**August 3**_

"Wow," Chloe said, breaking the pause between the two friends as Evie had just finished explaining everything. "It _is _really complicated."

"Do you see why I played my cards so close to my chest now?"

"I just..."

Seeing Chloe struggle with her words, Evie chuckled before interrupting, "I know... it is pretty unbelievable. I want you to know that the only reason I told Oliver first was because...actually that was Victor's idea. I thought I was just going to get acclimatized with Watchtower, the idea of doing what the guys do, but I guess he had something else in mind."

"I understand."

Evie placed her hand on Chloe's shoulder, because Evie knew there were consequences with coming clean. "I know this will probably show me in a new light, and while it may cost me your friendship, I'm glad Victor did what he did."

Smiling as she stood up, Evie added, "The idea that I can be honest with you guys... that I can trust you enough with this secret... it means more than you know."

At this point, Evie had every intention of leaving their apartment, to allow Chloe to think about everything, but Chloe had already made up her mind, as she walked around Evie to face her. "As does everything you've done for me since we've met." With a grin, Chloe hugged Evie. "Just so you know... I don't think I could hate you if I tried."

Returning the embrace, Evie couldn't help but sigh at those words. "And then there's that... the fact you and Oliver are taking this so well makes me wish I had told you sooner."

"You had a good reason."

Evie rolled her eyes as she backed away, those words all too familiar. "Oliver said that too."

"Well, we're right," Chloe replied with confidence before subtly biting her lip. "I hate to ask this but..."

"How much of it was real?"

Chloe was initially caught off-guard by easily Evie narrowed down her question, but then she realized that she couldn't really blame her. With what she could do, it wasn't a stretch for Chloe to think this way, and Evie probably was waiting for her to ask. "Exactly."

After taking a deep breath, Evie replied honestly, "Actually, more than you likely think."

With that, Chloe began to recap their friendship in her head, back to the day when they first met, when Evie was just her athletic roommate. At the time, she was just grateful for a sane roommate, because Chloe could have never foreseen how close she would get to Evie. She also couldn't have foreseen how close to her work with Clark Evie had been, and now sitting across from her, Chloe couldn't help but wonder if their meeting was more than just a coincidence.

"What about the fact that you were my roommate?"

It was the first of many questions Evie had seen coming. There was always an aspect of too-good-to-be-true with their friendship, but Evie had chalked it up to the world telling her to give living another chance. "I had no idea who you were until you said you were from Smallville, because let's face it, I'm not likely _ever_ forgetting that place. A little research later... I knew who you were, but I was the furthest thing from knowing you."

Chuckling, Chloe rolled her eyes, remembering her conversation with Victor and AC back in their headquarters in Star City. "Who knew a girl from a small town would get recognized so easily in the big city?" Watching Evie's head jerk back in response, Chloe added, "Oliver knew about my Torch articles before he met me."

That brought a smile from Evie as she went to the kitchen to fill up her coffee cup, only to see that the pot was empty. Feeling too lazy to make more in that moment, she turned around instead. "That doesn't surprise me actually. We were running in similar circles, even before we met. If nothing else, Victor united us all."

Noticing the machine next to her roommate reminded Chloe of another aspect that bonded them together early on. "Okay, what about the almond mocha?"

Evie's initial reaction was a single chuckle before she responded, "Purely coincidence." When Chloe understandingly seemed skeptical of her response, Evie shrugged, knowing there was no other answer she could give her than, "It was my former boss' favourite and I made sure that I knew how to make it just in case I screwed up."

Looking back up, Evie felt more weight leaving her shoulders, but her smile faded fast as she noticed Chloe's expression.

"What about Oliver?"

Her mouth gaped open right away, and Evie shook her head what felt like a million times. Grabbing Chloe's hands, Evie said as honestly as she could, "He's in love with you... please don't doubt that."

Realizing that she had been misunderstood, it was Chloe's turn to shake her head. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I'm still processing everything, but I more meant along the lines of... I'm not exactly sure _how _to word this."

"Let me try then. You want to know if I did anything to influence your relationship right?" Seeing Chloe nod, Evie released her hands, smirk firmly on her face as she walked around Chloe. "Well, I can say with absolute certainty that I didn't control either of you."

"How about the game?"

_Busted,_ Evie thought as she heard those words, but she played innocent anyway. "What about it?"

"The fact that after all these years, Ollie was telling the truth?"

Evie still had her back to Chloe, so she wasn't concerned about her expression as she bit her tongue, but she still cracked. "Maybe..."

"You told me—"

Turning around, Evie began to explain. "I didn't lie to you, at least not about that. When we were buying tickets, he was ten people ahead of us. I heard where he was sitting and I... _manipulated_ it so we sat next to him." Shrugging a shoulder, she added, "Who needs premeditation when you have dumb luck?"

Watching Chloe sit down at the kitchen table, Evie herself leaned against the counter, exhaling loudly before continuing, "All jokes aside, I gave more powerless pep talks than anything. I liked you two, manipulating feelings would have been silly if I wanted you to work out. That, and I still prefer to let things happen. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to intervene more than I did, because you two don't make things easy."

Seeing Chloe's mouth open, Evie pointed a finger towards her and said sternly, "Don't even _try _to deny that."

With a chuckle, Chloe held her hands up to feign her innocence. "Wasn't going to."

Evie laughed back before looking back at the coffee pot. "I don't know about you, but I could really use some caffeine right now."

Getting up from the chair, Chloe smiled. "Lead the way."

**~0~**

As Chloe typed away on her laptop, she was also trying to make sense of everything she had heard today. It was probably that reason that Evie had insisted on having some space between them so that she had some time to absorb everything, but that didn't necessarily make things easier. But she obliged her friend and went over to Oliver's and waited for him to come home.

Hearing the knock, she brought her head up, surprised to see Oliver standing in the door frame. "Hey."

"Hey," Chloe replied, shutting her laptop almost immediately to put it on the bedside table. "Thought you were patrolling tonight." Not that she was complaining that he was back, as Oliver was one of the few people she could actually talk to in regards to Evie.

Sitting down on his side of the bed, Oliver stripped down to his boxers before going under the covers. "It was dead out there, Victor told me he had it covered." Seeing the expression on her face, he shuffled over to Chloe, wrapping an arm behind her back to pull her closer. "Are you okay?"

Her head resting on Oliver's shoulder, Chloe sighed. "I'm just trying to figure out why I never saw it."

Knowing that Evie had been planning on telling Chloe today, Oliver had prepared himself, knowing that finding out Evie's past wouldn't be easy for either woman. He was shocked and he spent about half the time with Evie in comparison to Chloe, not to mention the two years he spent on an island.

Seeing Chloe now, she seemed alright, but Chloe was one of the best at masking her emotions, so Oliver couldn't tell for sure if she was holding back or not. However, the last thing Oliver wanted to do was prod her, so instead he told her what he could. "She never wanted us to know."

Chloe smirked as she snuggled closer to him, their heads slinking down to their pillows. "I know, but I... I feel terrible that she's had to keep it to herself all this time." Rolling onto her side, she smoothed her hand down her chest, smiling at how comfortable she felt in his arms before her thoughts returned to Evie. "She's my friend Oliver, to know that she suffered so much..."

Settling a finger under her chin, Oliver brought her face up to meet her eyes. "That's why we do this Chloe. We will take Lex down; make him pay for everything he's done, including what he and his father have done to her."

* * *

><p><em><strong>August 16<strong>_

Oliver knocked on the door, but noticed it opened immediately, Clark on the other side. "Hey," he said, taking a look around the apartment. "You girls ready?"

Because the five of them hadn't hung out as much recently, Lois had come up with this idea to go out together, but by the expressions, it seemed not everything was going according to plan.

"We are," Lois replied, sounding less than impressed, "but for once in... ever, Evie's not." Turning her head to the side, she yelled, "Come on Evie, we're ready to go."

"Lois!"

"What?" Lois asked, eyes firmly on her cousin, "Even you think she's taking too long."

Chloe was about to reply, but all heads turned towards the bedroom door as it creaked open slightly, just enough for everyone to hear Evie say, "I'm not feeling overly well, you guys go ahead," before she shut it again.

For a minute, there was silence in the main area, but Lois broke out first, slamming her purse on the table. "Oh now that's a bunch of crap."

"Lois..." Turning back to the guys, Chloe sighed. "We'll be right back."

"Go ahead," Oliver responded with a smile, hoping Lois wouldn't be too hard on Evie, as it hadn't been the easiest month for her.

She nodded, and headed towards their bedroom, knocking carefully before she entered, surprised to see how calm Lois had become since entering. She had just sat down on the bed, across from Evie, who Chloe could tell was a little rattled.

"What's going on?" Chloe asked cautiously as she approached them.

"Really bad—"

"Excuse is whatever you're going to say." Lois supplied as a finish. "She just hates the idea of a fifth wheel, which is ridiculous because I did it for years. Yeah yeah, you can lecture me about you guys not being official couples, but it was close enough, trust me."

Evie pursed her lips, shaking her head as she whispered back, "It's not that."

"Then it's something that you swore wasn't getting to you," Lois replied.

Chloe felt confused as she glanced back and forth between the two when she noticed Evie gritting her teeth as she still refused to look up. "It's nothing."

"More along the line of should-be-nothing." Turning to face Chloe, Lois explained, "Last week's Inquisitor had a photo of Evie and Oliver... called her Oliver's mistress. It's preposterous, but you know how silly these writers get. One stupid photo and they're–"

Ignoring the obvious dig at Lois' old job, Chloe knew this was only making it worse, so she promptly interrupted her cousin. "Lois, can you give Evie and I a minute?"

Rolling her eyes, Lois got off the bed. "Fine."

Hearing the door click shut, Chloe finally sat down next to her friend, trying to lessen the blows of her cousin. "She means well, and I'm sure if she knew everything that she'd understand what you're going through."

Evie managed a half-smile as she replied, "I know. She's just... being Lois."

"But that photo has nothing to do with your mood, does it?" Chloe had recognized the bracelet on Evie's wrist, and knew by how much she was fiddling with it that he was the real cause.

"No," Evie said, staring down at her wrist again, not surprised at how easily Chloe had narrowed it down. After all, she had proudly shown it off when Scott gave it to her on their first anniversary. "I guess the best way I can say this is that I'm jealous."

It sounded stupid, she knew that, especially for how hard Evie pushed for Chloe and Oliver to be together, but being the odd one out only reminded that in another state stood the guy that tried everything and more to be with her, and she still couldn't be with him.

It was why she had taken it off in the first place, as it only reminded her of what she had given up. But getting ready tonight, Evie saw it again, as she didn't have the heart to get rid of it, and all of her prior emotions came to the surface. "Seeing you guys, how happy you are... it reminds me of what I had... and it makes me miss him that much more."

"You ever think of telling him everything?"

Evie immediately scoffed. "And tell him what exactly? _Remember me? I'm your desperate ex who's still in love with you, but guess what? I'm a freak who was indirectly responsible for your father's death." _Silence lingering between the friends, letting the words sink in, Evie broke it with a sigh._ "_I can't do that to him."

Evie knew that Chloe would have a relatable comeback, so when she saw her friend's mouth open, Evie cut her off. "I know... but it works with you and Oliver because... because you lived that life, you dabbled into the superhero world. Scott, he supports them, but I can't push him into this life."

"What about Clark and Lois?"

Taking a breath, Evie got off the bed and took a couple steps to lean against the nearby wall. "He's practically invincible Chloe, and Lois has hung around you long enough to know the intricacies of the whole unexplainable argument. Scott didn't really see that side of any of us, and I can't know for sure that I'd keep him safe. Don't get me wrong... it's sucks, but it's better this way."

"Don't you think he'd prefer a say in that? I know I did when Oliver kept his secret from me."

He would, Evie knew that. All Scott wanted was for her to open up to him, but the idea of telling Scott that she tore his family apart kept her silent. Besides, that relationship was her past now, and Evie could only hope that things could get better as time went by. "It doesn't matter anymore Chloe... we've said our goodbyes." With another sigh, Evie fiddled with the clasp and buried the bracelet in her jewellery box. "In the end, I'll never be able to give him what he wants."

Even with her back to her, Chloe could sense that Evie needed a conversation change. "Doesn't mean you can't have fun tonight." Chloe watched her turn around, so she stood up to take her opening. "Come on Evie, you can't let this take control your life."

Evie wanted to answer, but first a knock came on the door, Oliver's head peeking in. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Chloe said with a smile before turning her head to face Oliver, "tell Clark and Lois to go ahead. I'm going to spend some quality time with my roommate... you're welcome to join."

Seeing Oliver about to shut the door, Evie held her arm out and began walking towards the door. "Wait Oliver, don't." He did, much to her relief, so Evie turned to look back and forth between the blondes. "You guys go, I don't want to ruin your night."

"You won't," Chloe replied, "we could call Bart to get some pizza and we could fire up the XBox at Watchtower. It'll be fun."

"Hardly the fun you had in mind," Evie said with an air of defeat.

"Sleazy dancing or fun times with friends?" Chloe looked back up at her boyfriend and asked, "I don't know about you Ollie, but what do you think?

Looking between the two women, as far as Oliver was concerned, his decision was already made. "I'll let Clark and Lois know we're staying here."

When she heard the door close, Evie shook her head as she lifted it slightly. "He's such a liar."

Tossing Evie her coat, Chloe smirked back. "Only because he knows I'm good for a rain check."

Rolling her eyes at that comment as she put on her coat, Evie began to head to the door. "And now I see how you're related to Lois."

Turning her head back, Evie zipped out of the room quickly as she narrowly missed getting hit by Chloe's shoe as Evie shut the door. Leaning her head against it, Evie finally found a smile.

It would take some time to get over some of the demons, to get over everything, but for once, Evie understood now that no matter what happened, she wasn't alone anymore.

* * *

><p><em><strong>August 29<strong>_

Chloe sat alone at her table at the Ace of Clubs, sipping her drink delicately as she waited for Oliver to show up. He had texted her to let her know a meeting had gone late and he'd meet her there, but this was getting ridiculous, and based on the way this random guy was looking at her, it wasn't about to get better.

"Hey gorgeous, need a top up?"

Not only was her glass still half-full, Chloe had no intention of letting the guy know she was anywhere interested. "No."

"Well..."

Her eyes widened as the guy actually had the audacity to sit down in the seat across from her, so Chloe promptly told him, "Seat's taken too."

"By who exactly?"

"That would be me," Oliver announced, waiting for the guy to turn around in embarrassment. Sure enough, the seat was vacated in seconds, only to be taken up by Oliver. "Sorry about that," he said to Chloe before sipping his water.

"You should be," Chloe playfully fired back. "For a second, I was about to question your timing skills."

Oliver narrowed his eyes as he asked, "You weren't waiting too long, were you?"

She sat back in her chair and took a look as some of the patrons that showed up after her started leaving. "Do you want me to answer that honestly?"

Seeing her expression, Oliver pursed his lips, not realizing just how long he made her wait, especially considering what tonight was. "I'm sorry, I got here as soon as I –"

"Hey," Chloe said, grabbing his hands in hers, "It's the hazard of dating a CEO." Staring straight into his brown eyes, she smirked before continuing, "All things considered... the upside is worth the wait."

Oliver smiled back at her as he glanced quickly at the menu. "Did you order already?"

"The wine, yes," Chloe replied as she sipped it. "I'm almost a glass down already, which makes me wonder if you took your time to get me drunk."

"Yes," he said after a quiet chuckle, "because it takes _so _much convincing for you to spend time with me."

After that comment, Chloe had sat back in her chair, giving her a better view of the dress she was wearing tonight. She looked perfect, not that she ever looked otherwise, but the olive green complimented her eyes perfectly, and it fit tonight's occasion perfectly.

In a way, Oliver couldn't blame the guy for trying, and even his interruption allowed for even more parallels, but in the end, Oliver was the only guy he wanted to Chloe to see tonight.

Noticing the wandering expression Oliver had after she had leaned back, Chloe replied, "Fair point," and watched as her comment brought him back to reality.

"Anyway," he said, grabbing the menu from her side of the table, "I'm glad you didn't order... I took the liberty this time."

"Really?"

And sure enough, within seconds, plates were settled in front of them, and Chloe's wine glass was filled up before the waiter settled a small gift box in front of her. Chloe wanted to start eating, but the box took precedence in her mind. It wasn't her birthday, or any other event that she could think of off the top of her mind.

Seeing where her stare ended up, Oliver interrupted her thoughts, "Happy anniversary."

Chloe blinked a couple times as she picked up the box. Looking towards Oliver, she narrowed her eyes. "Anniversary? Last I checked it's not two months for a couple of days."

"Try five years."

She began racking her brain again for ideas when it finally hit her. The day they met. "We're celebrating that too? Ollie, I didn't think we..."

"I like to make excuses for spoiling you."

"You don't have to," Chloe said as she fiddled with the ribbon on the box, "you spoil me every day." After that, she immediately rolled her eyes. "I can't believe I just said that."

"Embarrassed?"

"Not of you... of how bad that sounded."

Oliver shrugged a shoulder as he reached across the table to smooth his fingers down her arm. "Well, the sentiment is appreciated."

"What is this Ollie?"

"The point of a present," he replied, leaning back in his chair, "you have open it yourself."

"Funny," she said pulling on the ribbon and taking off the top of the box. Inside was just a piece of paper, so Chloe pulled it out.

Oliver watched from the other side of the table, waiting for her eyes to widen once she started to read it, and he was completely prepared for an undeserving comment, but he beat her to speaking. "Keep in mind this isn't something I can exactly return."

"No, I suppose you can't... but a satellite?" Reading over the paper again to make sure that she hadn't read it wrong, Chloe eventually settled the paper on her lap. "You set the bar kind of high don't you think?"

"If it makes you feel better, you're not the only one being spoiled."

Smiling as she put the box in her purse, Chloe looked back up at Oliver, who flashed his own smile. "Thank you," she said, wondering how she could have gotten so lucky.

"No problem," Oliver replied, grateful that Chloe accepted the gift much better than he had anticipated. It wasn't always easy to show her how much she meant to him, but Oliver was glad this one panned out. "Happy anniversary."

"Happy anniversary," Chloe repeated, smile widening as the other people ate around them, unaware of how happy both of them were feeling at that moment.

* * *

><p><em>Sera's Scribbles: Just as another reminder, this fic's rating will go up for September. <em>


	3. September part 1

_Sera's Scribbles: Please notice that the rating has changed for future chapters._

* * *

><p><strong>September <strong>

_**September 2**_

This was actually happening, the official moment where Evie knew she could no longer turn back, except now she knew that she no longer wanted to. Confidently walking into the building which led to Watchtower for the first time since talking to Oliver, Evie walked into the elevator which sealed her chosen path. Waiting for the door to close, Evie leaned forward to press the close door button, but she stopped upon seeing someone she recognized enter the elevator to stand next to her.

He adjusted his glasses to check to see if he was seeing her correctly, but eventually he let out a light scoff before leaning against the elevator wall. "Well, this explains a lot."

Chuckling at his retort, Evie replied, "Nice to see you under more pleasant circumstances, Emil."

Her and the doctor shared more of a past than the others knew, because other than Bart and Victor, he was the only one who knew who she was, and it was done out of desperation. Fortunately for her, Emil always had her back, and while she never told him about her coming clean to Oliver and Chloe, she knew he'd understand.

Turning his head towards her, Emil gave Evie a warm smile. "You as well."

"So how's the biz?" The question felt kind of awkward, as small talk wasn't exactly their strong suit, usually because when they saw each other, someone needed discrete medical attention. Evie never wanted to blow her cover to someone from her past, but when Bart got seriously injured once, Evie was left with no choice. She was just grateful that Emil had kept her secret, and agreed to keep everyone else's.

"Significantly busier since you handed me new business on a silver platter." It was safe to say that when Emil became a doctor, he never expected to end up in this line of work. But the benefits, both financial and humanitarian, were worth it.

"The least I could do after what you did for Bart... and Oliver." Evie still remembers tracking the street cameras that night and getting lucky. She watched the altercation, but she never expected Oliver to get stabbed, not mention the severity of the injury.

It took most of Evie's strength not to lose her cool in that moment and call Bart to help him out, even once Chloe came into the camera's views. Seeing the way she reacted to Green Arrow's condition was the first clue for Evie that Chloe was aware of Oliver's double life, and she could only wonder how long she knew, how long Chloe had held back.

Seeing Chloe's reaction after Bart had subtly taken Oliver to the hospital made Evie want to call Chloe, tell her that he was going to be okay, but she couldn't. Evie couldn't blow her cover, and to be honest, she couldn't guarantee that Oliver would be alright.

Instead, she had called Emil, begging for a favour. _Just this once_, she told him, and he agreed without hesitation. Oliver recovered, and apparently returned to the hospital before his move to Metropolis, asking if Emil would like a full-time position.

"Well, for the record, I enjoy helping out, so thank you." When the elevator stopped, Emil gestured for Evie to leave first. "But I thought you were insistent on hiding in plain sight."

Shrugging before turning her head back, Evie replied, "Things change."

"Clearly," Emil said as he opened the double doors for the both of them, watching as the attention of the room came their way.

Eyes firmly on Evie, Oliver titled his head towards Emil, "I see you've met our team physician."

Evie looked at Emil momentarily, pursing her lips as deliberated how to tell Oliver the truth of the situation. "Actually…we met long before you even knew who he was."

"Huh?"

"I told you that I knew _all _of your team. Emil here was my brother's roommate at MIT."

Oliver immediately looked to Emil, who quickly backed up their story. "Hard to forget the Emil-Emily jokes."

Evie rolled her eyes. "That was pure Jason. Bright as can be, worst sense of humour, and he could give Clark a run for his money when it came to being overprotective."

Oliver narrowed his eyes at the latter part of Evie's comment. "Is that even possible?"

At that, Evie couldn't help but laugh. "Careful Oliver, you're talking about your girl's best friend here."

"He knows," Chloe interjected before Oliver had a chance to reply, "but he's not exactly wrong in his assessment." Turning away from the console, Chloe walked quickly over to join the group, hugging Evie when she got there. "'Bout time you came back."

"Don't look at me," Evie said as she backed away, "You told me that it's the first chance we've had with everyone in town and not have a deadline to meet, business or article wise." Looking around, the room seemed a lot brighter than the last time. For some reason, she saw a lot of hope in this place, even though it was the heroes that met here that would make the difference. Turning her head over her shoulder, she asked, "When are the others getting here?"

"Soon, I think."

Sure enough the door opened seconds later, and Evie's smile emerged again. It wasn't the way she imagined seeing her former roommate again, but the shock in Dinah's eyes was more than worth it.

"You have to be kidding me." Pulling Evie in to a hug, she added, "Been a long time since I've seen you, Evie."

"Yeah it has been," Evie replied with a chuckle. As she returned the hug, Evie turned her head to whisper, "Word is you've put your scream to better use."

That comment shocked Dinah as she backed away. Looking around uncomfortably, she narrowed her eyes as she looked back at Evie. "You told them all about me, didn't you?"

Unfortunately, Dinah didn't exactly say that quietly, so everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her. AC and Emil looked confused, but Chloe and Oliver didn't do much to hide their answer.

Meanwhile, Evie was biting her tongue, doing everything in her power not to burst out laughing. "It's not like I expected our paths to cross again."

Dinah shrugged as she continued to look at the blondes who refused to meet her stare across the room. "At least that explains the odd looks I got from you two."

"It... could be worse?"

Chuckling as she turned her head over her shoulder, Evie smiled. "It's nice to see you again, AC," she said, holding out her hand, hoping he'd shake it, and he did without any hesitation.

"I admit, when Oliver told me that we had a couple new recruits, I wasn't expecting to see you."

Evie shrugged a shoulder, as she confessed, "It wasn't exactly part of my plan, but I'm here now."

AC did a quick glance around the room, at the smiling faces. He may have been a little removed from the situation, but after Oliver told him that Evie was the one who narrowed over a dozen 33.1 sites for the team, it was a no brainer to have an asset like that on the team. There were risks in the decision, but there were risks in every move the team made. But having her and Victor, people who knew the inner workings of 33.1, it would hopefully allow for a more efficient cleaning out of the facilities that seemed to keep popping up worldwide.

It was that reason AC's response was simply, "We're glad to have you."

Before Evie could respond, a voice came from the door, one that Evie knew all too well. "Told you."

Evie squeezed her eyes shut, just picturing the smug grin on his face as she heard the doors close. Turning around, Evie wasn't disappointed as Victor's smile was wider than she'd seen it, probably because he was one of the few who could read her like a book, as he orchestrated the entire thing by himself. Evie wanted to hate him for tricking her, she couldn't, because he was right.

Regardless she shook her head at him and replied, "I still can't believe you played me."

"I needed to," Victor said, patting her shoulder as he walked past to the main console, but Evie followed him, so he stopped to turn back around. "You and I both know, deep down, you wanted the intervention."

Again, Evie opened her mouth to reply, but Bart zipped between them for a second to say, "Hey cuz, Vic-man," before running towards Chloe, causing both Victor and Evie to roll their eyes.

Evie looked around at any potential interruption, and upon not finding any, she sighed. "Talk to me again when or if this whole thing is over." Looking over Victor's shoulder at everyone else, Evie pursed her lips. "You know that I'll likely regret this whole thing at least a couple times."

Victor moved outside of her line of vision and matched where Evie was looking. These were the people that changed both of their lives, the people who saw a human in them, not a monster, a freak, or a machine. "Trust me, I went through all this too. It's shaky at first, but you'll be fine."

It was the truth, all of it. After getting out of 33.1, losing Katherine, Victor thought he was meant for life on the streets, or an early grave, but once AC found him... it changed his life. What he only recently found out was that it was Evie who pointed them in the right direction, and while Victor wanted to know how, and why, he knew now that he'd never ask her. Instead, he was grateful that he returned the favour in time. She deserved a few breaks in her life.

"Before I forget," Evie said softly, "thanks for taking Bart in." He had been living in a basement apartment that Evie had and him had set up their operations in, but it really wasn't much of a home, especially because Evie couldn't stay there with him. So when she found out Victor offered Bart a place at his apartment, she wanted to make sure he knew how much she appreciated it. "It means a lot to him that someone believes in him since his father's death, and I can only do so much."

Calmly watching Bart's failed attempt at flirting with Chloe, Victor easily replied, "The gratitude's appreciated, but it's not needed. He's a good kid, but if he wants food, then he's buying it himself."

Evie laughed, getting the attention of the entire room, eventually reminding them of the reason they were here. "I guess I should start with a little introduction, as most of you know me... but the fastest guy in the room would be my cousin Bart. He's blunt, he's a bottomless pit," she paused upon seeing her cousin's less than pleased expression. "But he's the best cousin possible... no offence meant to Lois of course," she added, eyes firmly on Chloe.

She swallowed hard as she moved onto the next part of what she needed to say. "I bet most of you are wondering about how I know Lex is alive. The truth is I have audio proof, but I'm not about to use it." She saw Dinah and Oliver open their mouths to interrupt her, but Evie stopped them. "As long as he's underground, Tess is in charge, and while it may not seem like the ideal situation... she listens to me, something we all know Lex would never do."

AC quickly asked, knowing what she could do, "Can't you just control him like anyone else?"

Shaking her head, Evie couldn't help but wish that it was that easy. "Like any meta, I have my limits. I get the equivalent of a migraine for every minute I'm inside someone's mind, and I black out if I'm inside for too long."

Evie began pacing around the room, her eyes suddenly entranced by the stained glass window. She found tranquility in the way the light hit the colours, something she treasured as she attempted to explain how complicated her powers really were. "Over the years, I've increased the time slightly and found ways to dull the pain, but it's still too short-term to do anything overly drastic. Not only that, but I also have to be able to see first-hand what I control, so nothing via cameras or voodoo dolls."

Once again, Evie found herself sighing, for as powerful as she knew she was, the limitations were almost frustrating. "Besides, I can't completely... rewire someone's brain. Lex would still be Lex once I release control, and there are way too many contingency plans for him."

Dinah sat up from her place on the couch, asking the million dollar question. "So what's the plan?"

"Honestly? I have no idea. That's why I'm here." She knew it wasn't the answer that they wanted to hear, but Evie didn't really have much of a choice. When it came to planning, her resources were limited, and an operation like this... she needed more than her head working at it. Her prior field work hadn't been the smoothest, hence why she stuck to work behind the scenes, which is what prompted Evie to point her head back towards the consoles. "But until then, I can give you the odd insider information, give you an extra hacking weapon, and Bart... well, you know what he can do."

Digging into her pocket, Evie pulled out the copies of the keys she had made prior to today's meeting. "We also have been renting a basement apartment suite which is where we did a lot of our research, and you guys can use it if you need. It's not much, and it'll likely need a security overhaul, but it's also a bit of an infirmary too if you're nearby. It definitely came in handy when Bart got a little carried away."

Before she could continue, Bart zoomed in front of her and tried to assure everyone, "I had it under control."

"Cuz," Evie replied as she tapped Bart's shoulder, "there's a reason for the codename."

Bart rolled his eyes. "So you keep telling me."

Evie squeezed his shoulder before letting Bart walk away, just to make sure that he was okay. When he gave her a genuine smile as he looked over her shoulder, Evie nodded.

"Do _you _have a codename?" Dinah asked. "Because you might want to speak up soon before Oliver gives you one."

"Echo," was her immediate response, giving Oliver a quick glance. It wasn't that she didn't trust him to give her a codename, but it reduced confusion if nothing else. The name also fit what she could do, objects, people, thoughts, words, they were all echoes in a way.

"Fair enough."

"I know this isn't an easy position for you guys...especially considering the fact that I've lied to all of you at some point, but I truly think I…._ we__," _she corrected upon seeing Bart's expression_, "_can help."

The pause wasn't long, and oddly enough, it was AC who broke it. "I think it's a pretty easy decision actually. It's what we do right? Help those in need."

Everyone just nodded around her, so Evie stood there, beaming. "Thanks guys...you won't regret it."

"Okay," Oliver said as he stood up, "I think that's meeting adjourned." Turning back to Evie, he titled his head towards the stairwell of Watchtower. "I need to speak with you for a minute."

He was a couple steps ahead of her, so Evie quickened her pace; eventually catching up to his halfway up the stairs. "What's up?"

He quickly fired back, "Other than you indirectly affected every event in my life for the past six years?"

Evie rolled her eyes at his comment. "I had nothing to do with you getting shipwrecked, or coming back with Tess." At the top of the steps, she paused, waiting for Oliver to tell her where to go. When he gestured his head towards his right, Evie decided to add, "That event had the worst timing _ever_."

Oliver stopped halfway down the lockers that line one of the walls to open two of them. "Well, back to the point, I don't know where you stand patrolling-wise, but if you wanted, both you and Bart have a uniform."

The first she could tell was Bart's, as it definitely fit his stature. It also matched the description in the papers, but also included things that allowed for more discretion, despite the colour. "Red... fitting."

Stepping back to reach inside the next locker, Oliver pulled out another hanger. "And I figured you wanted something a little more subtle."

Evie took her uniform from him, which was likely tighter than anything else in her wardrobe, but it was kind of a rite of passage in the superhero world. It had its similarities to Oliver's own costume, but the hood would ease Evie's anxiety in her identity being revealed and instead of green, it was navy blue, which would allow her to blend in easily.

Oliver watched Evie as she slid her fingers through the material, and even grabbed one of the gloves to try on. "I have an extra pair of shades if you're interested too."

"I think I might be." She hung up the uniform again to try on the other glove, with an element of surprise still in her system. "This is great Oliver, but..." Evie paused, realizing that she wasn't going to question the generosity shown to her, "how did you know my size?"

Oliver noticed the change in her tone, but he decided not to call Evie on it. "I'm used to things like this... and I had an insider who raided your closet to be sure."

"Well," Evie replied as she slipped the gloves back into the locker, "I'm not sure how much field action I'll participate in, but it's perfect. Thanks."

Seeing the quiet expression on her face, Oliver turned towards everyone downstairs, still interacting, as this was Bart's first chance to meet everyone besides Victor. Based on descriptions, Oliver had expected a little hostility, but things were going well, much better than he expected actually. Turning his head back to Evie, as she closed the locker, Oliver flashed a smile and said, "I think you're fitting in just fine."

"Yeah," Evie replied as she turned to face him, "I just hope we can pull this off."

"Have a little faith." Oliver leaned over the railing and continued to watch the team interact from above. "We're dysfunctional sure, but we come through when it matters."

"I know," she replied, curling her fingers around the railing as she stood next to Oliver. "That's why I'm still here."

* * *

><p><em><strong>September 5<strong>_

It was a busy day at the Planet, as Chloe worked her way through the bullpen, getting copies, delivering drafts and going on coffee runs, not to mention the giant coffee stain on her shirt when some new intern decided they owned the place and knocked over all of her stuff and scuffled away like an innocent bystander.

Fortunately, her shirt was the only thing stained, as her files were liquid-free, but instead of heading to Marnie's office, Chloe headed to Lois' desk, hoping for a chance she had a shirt Chloe could borrow. Sure, they weren't exactly the same size, but it would do for the couple of hours that she needed.

"Hey Lois, do you have a..." Chloe paused when she saw her cousin looking at, no, mesmerized by a key.

It wasn't their apartment key, that much Chloe knew for sure, but before she could ask, Lois answered for her. "Clark asked me to move in with him."

A key to the farmhouse, okay...but the way Lois rotated the small metal object in her fingers showed that there was more on Lois' mind. "And...?"

Lois didn't move her head to look at Chloe, but she quickly sighed as she tapped the key on her desk. "I don't know what to tell him." Lois never saw herself in this position, with an actual solid relationship, but with Clark... she felt alive in a different way. He saw her in this light that no one else ever had and while she didn't want to lose it, Lois was scared of that next step, no matter how obvious it seemed.

"What did he say?"

"That this is mine... in whatever capacity I want it to be."

That was a classic Clark statement, completely diplomatic, which meant that someone shouldn't feel guilty about waiting to make up their mind, but instead, the seconds tick away, and the guilt increases as a consequence. Chloe tried to convince Lois, "Then take your time and wait until you're ready," but Chloe knew from experience it wasn't that easy.

But with Lois, it appeared to be a different case, because she just sighed and replied, "Exactly, because it's too soon, isn't it?" Lois grinned lightly and looked up to her cousin. "I mean, I really like Clark, but... moving in is just so..."

Seeing her cousin struggle for the word to finish her sentence, Chloe supplied a couple of words. "Life-changing? Permanent?" Lois acknowledged them, but didn't really give in one way or another, so Chloe tried a different ending. "It shows commitment?"

Lois scoffed as she let the key fall from her hands and onto the desk. "And you know how great I am with that concept."

"Speaking from experience, sometimes you have to screw the consequences and go for it." Reaching across the desk, Chloe picked up the key, tossed it up to catch it in her hand before holding it out to Lois. "The fact you're talking to me about it means you're not completely unopposed to the idea."

"I'm not," was Lois' quiet reply.

Chloe tried to smile at Lois, even though she knew she couldn't see it. "Look... you're always complaining that his work takes time away from you. Maybe this will be a litmus test for you guys, it'll show how you'll work together."

"You're right; this could be a really good thing for us." Lois had said that with a slight grin on her face, but it faded fast. "Or a really bad thing. What if we don't mesh well? What if we spontaneously combust?"

"Lois..." Chloe said, as she grabbed her cousin's shoulders, "Just breathe for a second, there's no reason to panic." Leaning down, Chloe looked at her in the eye. "You're the only one who can make this decision cuz, but based on this conversation, it sounds to me like that risk is worth it."

Lois nodded. "You're right." She was about to say more when she noticed the coffee stain. "What happened to your shirt?"

Chloe rolled her eyes as she stood back up. "Accident with the newbie...you wouldn't happen to have a spare would you?"

* * *

><p><em>Stay Tuned for Part 2<em>


	4. September part 2

_**September 27**_

Walking around the apartment, Chloe deliberated what she was about to do. Lois was officially moved out, making this the first weekend without her in the apartment. Evie had the late shift at Metro, and Victor and AC were covering patrols tonight.

Normally, this was code for Oliver and her having plans, but he had overseas business that he had attend to, and even Marnie insisted that Chloe enjoy her weekend.

How that was supposed to happen, she wasn't entirely sure. The apartment was eerily quiet and Chloe didn't have anything to work on.

It was late, but Chloe figured a short walk wouldn't hurt, grabbing the essentials: taser, pepper spray, phone, before walking out the door. The elevator, despite the hummable music that filled the speakers seemed dead quiet as it descended quickly. Stepping out, Chloe waved at a fellow resident who was doing some late-night laundry before going out the front door.

Within seconds of being outside, she realized that she had been drawn into walking towards Watchtower, but Victor had insisted on her having the night off, so she headed towards the clocktower instead, knowing Oliver wasn't in town tonight.

The building itself was just as quiet as the night she was getting used to, the elevator rattles not enough to break the silence Chloe knew. Feeling it stop, Chloe pulled the gate back, looking around the empty room before stepping out.

Slipping her shoes off in the entryway, Chloe walked slowly towards the clock face, her fingers gliding along the place that concealed Oliver's Green Arrow room. Eventually, she pulled the doors apart, revealing the place within. Everything had been laid out meticulously, and Chloe knew pretty much the entire layout and the majority of how things worked.

Sliding her fingers down his bow, Chloe found herself smiling, but it also made her wish Oliver was with her right now. Even though they say that clothes make the man, the gear is kind of pointless without the body that wears them.

Picking up the bow, Chloe placed it on the counter, playing with the tension settings and decided that she could use a little target practice to relax.

She couldn't explain why, but maybe it was because she always felt Oliver there when she pulled back the string. Even though she wasn't alone in her life per say, it made her feel better when everyone seemed to have plans. Pulling back, this time a lot easier than the previous two, she realized that her stance was wrong again.

Chuckling, she adjusted her footing slightly before looking back up. Chloe had only shot an arrow maybe a dozen times, but after her first attempt, things had been a lot better. Letting go, watching the arrow fly, Chloe felt satisfied where it landed. It may not have been a bulls-eye, but it was within a couple of inches, so all things considered, not too bad.

"You've gotten better," a voice called out behind her. It was close, closer than Chloe would have liked to admit because usually she was good at sensing people, but apparently the shot had taken over her senses.

"You're back early," Chloe remarked, not bothering to turn around and greet her visitor, although technically, she was the visitor.

"That's not a problem, is it?"

"Not at all," she replied, laying down the bow on the nearby desk.

"I was going to call you... but I guess you saved me the trouble."

"Is that what I am?" Chloe asked, quirking an eyebrow up as she attempted to turn around, but Oliver placed his hands on her hips to prevent such an action. So instead she leaned her head back onto his chest, just barely finding his eyes before adding, "Trouble?"

Oliver sensed that she was purposefully misunderstanding him, but instead of denying it, he took in a different direction. "Absolutely." He began undoing the buttons on her coat, sliding it down her arms to lay it down next to the bow. "You make it impossible for me to focus on work."

Feeling his fingertips slip under her top caused Chloe to catch her breath, but she was determined to at least sound calm. "And yet you're back early."

"Let's just say," Oliver replied, finding and undoing the clasp of her bra, "you're also motivation for getting work done."

"As long you get the job done," Chloe said, tilting her head to the side.

Oliver took that gesture to move her hair from her neck, kissing it softly before whispering in her ear, "Don't worry, I _always_ finish what I start." Noticing the way Chloe's body tensed as his breath lingered on her cheek; Oliver kept his position, watching as she finally gave into him.

Turning her head first, Chloe found herself facing him straight on, curling her fingers under his shirt before she tugged Oliver towards her, his desire apparent the moment their bodies touched. A smirk grew on her lips before she looked up at him. She thought about saying a quip about how he had missed her, but it honestly wasn't needed.

Instead, she settled on, "So what are you starting now?"

His mouth inches from hers, Oliver quirked an eyebrow as he deliberated his many options of having her in this position. "That depends... what are your plans this weekend?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>September 29<strong>_

Staring at her phone at she slipped her coat through her arms, Chloe noticed the multiple missing calls. "Lois is going to kill me."

Sure enough, as Chloe scrolled through the calls, her cousin made the majority of them. The only voicemail however, was from Evie, and knowing her friend, Chloe knew that everything would be okay. That, and there wasn't a single call from Lois after the voicemail, so it likely meant that Evie had confiscated Lois' phone again.

"I didn't hear you complaining earlier."

Chloe peered behind her, and she wasn't surprised that Oliver hadn't even bothered to put a shirt on. He was trying to make it very hard for her to leave, but after almost two days of... adult activity, Chloe really had things to do that she couldn't hold off anymore. "And you won't... I'm just never going to hear the end of it. That is, of course, if I can actually manage to walk into the elevator."

"You know," Oliver said as he pulled her close, nipping at a sensitive spot behind her ear, "I'm sure you could convince your boss to take the day off."

At this point, Chloe was doing everything in her power not to give in _again_. "Do keep in mind that part of that 'boss' is Tess which means it's not happening." Turning around, Chloe looked straight up at him and added, "Besides, Marnie said that she's got a big scoop coming, I can't miss a second right now."

"Suit yourself."

"Give me two," she paused upon taking a step back, wincing at the pain walking made her feel, even though she never regret the cause, "make that three days, and I'll make it worthwhile."

"I'll hold you to it," Oliver replied as he released her hand and watched her zip inside the elevator.

As the elevator started to move, Chloe pulled out her phone to see the time. _Great_, she thought upon seeing that she was already ten minutes late for work. Dialling Marnie's number, Chloe hoped she would forgive her tardiness, but her hopes weren't high because it wouldn't take much logic for her boss to figure out why she was late.

Marnie's voicemail kicked in as the elevator opened, so Chloe apologized profusely and continued out the door, hoping she wasn't in too much trouble.

Fortunately for Chloe, the traffic lights were working in her favour and she made it to the Planet in great time, so she dropped her purse on her desk and barged into Marnie's office, speech all planned.

Except she wasn't there.

Looking around, Chloe blinked, not believing that Marnie wasn't there. "No," Chloe whispered, remembering the conversation they had shared just last Thursday, but she shook out of it. There were plenty of better scenarios for why she was out of the office. Sick days, catching a lead, a last-minute interview, any of these things were possible.

"Hey cuz, you think you could proof-read this for me? The copyeditor is tired of my spelling mistakes."

"Sure Lo," Chloe said leaving the office as she absentmindedly grabbed Lois' story. But as she sat down at her desk, Chloe couldn't shake the feeling she had that something was wrong. "Have you seen Marnie this morning?"

Lois turned her head back to the empty office. "Come to think of it, no. Which is odd, considering she said that she had a hot story." She waited a couple seconds for Chloe to reply, but when she didn't, leaned over Chloe's desk and said quietly, "However, if you think we're talking about that, you clearly are mistaken."

Chloe attempted innocence immediately as she met her cousin's eyes, trying not to catch the attention of anyone else. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ten missed calls cuz," Lois replied as she crossed her arms, "there's only one explanation for that, not to mention the hickey you're sporting this morning."

Eyes widening as she covered the left side of her neck, Chloe could hear her cousin laugh before adding, "Other side." With her victory at hand, Lois began to walk away from Chloe's desk. "You might want to hide that a little better."

Chloe blushed, but it quickly died down as she stared at her office phone. Give it a couple hours, she thought, everything was going to be fine.

**~0~**

Three hours and twenty... make that twenty-one minutes, and still no sign of Marnie at the _Daily Planet_. Her husband assumed she was working, Tess assumed she wasn't feeling well; it was the clichéd cycle that Chloe knew all too well when someone was missing. Feeling her nerves come back, Chloe decided to take her lunch break to Watchtower, hoping it would ease her worries.

The blocks blurred together after she left the building, as all she could remember were the words Marnie told her when she gave her a thumb drive last week.

"_You want me to do what?"_

"_Safekeep it," Marnie replied as she filed some papers in her desk. "I've compiled some details on the story I'm working on, but I want you to..."_

"_What _are_ you working on?" Chloe attempted to peer over at Marnie's computer, but there weren't any details in plain sight; she had probably made sure of that. "You usually give me details about your story before the threats come in."_

_That may have been the case, but Marnie knew what she had to do for this scenario, which is why she was forced to lie to her protégé. "It's the cautions of the job we do right? It's what makes our resolve stronger to bring the truth."_

_Chloe picked up the drive, trying to understand exactly what was going on. "But you don't want me to access the information, do you?"_

_Marnie nodded, knowing Chloe wouldn't likely listen to her, but at this point, she knew things were escalating and she had no choice. "Plausible deniability. The less you know for now the better."_

_Her mentor's averted eyes worried Chloe, because she wanted more, but Marnie had been in this game much longer than her, so the only question she could ask was, "What if anything happens to change that?"_

_With that, Marnie looked back up at her, straight into her eyes, in fact, and delivered the line that had engrained itself into Chloe's brain. "I trust you to make the right decision for yourself and the circumstances."_

She had trusted her mentor, as despite Chloe's dying need for the truth, she hid the thumb drive at Watchtower, away from everyone, but now with Marnie missing, it had to be uncovered.

Bursting through the doors, she ignored Victor and Evie as they turned towards Chloe. She was on a mission and had to figure out what was going on. Pulling it out of the place where she hid it, Chloe immediately thrust it into Watchtower's database.

But it wasn't as easy as Chloe thought. The information wasn't easily accessible, and not only that, it was accompanied with a type of decryption Chloe had never seen before... which meant it would take more time than she wanted if she had a hope of getting the information.

"Damn it," Chloe muttered, not wanting to lose her cool, but this only amplified her anxiety.

"Need any help?"

Evie was surprised to see Chloe here in the first place, let alone using Watchtower's resources. Her and Victor were just having lunch when they saw Chloe come in, and from her actions, it was clear to Evie that her friend wasn't doing so well.

But when Chloe turned around, she gave Evie a questioning look. "You?"

It was a fair question, as Evie wasn't around a computer much, but that didn't mean that she didn't know how to use them. "I lived in an underground bunker for two months and in a FBI facility for four. How else do you think I hid my identity and fed you guys intel?"

Chloe rolled her eyes, feeling silly for doubting her friend's skills, but she intentionally decided not to answer her question as she turned back to the screen, hoping Evie would drop it. "Fair enough."

But she didn't as Evie walked up to the keyboard beside Chloe. The decryption seemed somewhat familiar, and while she had a feeling she could place it, she wanted to be sure, "What are we dealing with?"

Chloe kept typing away, but when the first two methods didn't give any progress, she stopped to slam her hands on the counter. "I don't know."

"You need to walk away from this."

It was Victor's voice that interrupted her train of thought, so Chloe turned around to face him, eyebrow firmly raised. "Excuse me?"

"I hate to agree with Vic, but he's right on this one," Evie replied quietly, knowing that she was right, but more importantly, that this was going to take some time. "You're clearly agitated right now, and that is only going to slow down the process." She hated to say it, but it was the truth. "How about you fill us in on what's bothering you and we'll take the decryption from here."

Chloe thought about arguing, but she knew she could trust them, so she gave in, not wasting time. "On one condition."

Evie nodded with a sense of relief. "We'll inform you the moment we crack it."

Chloe rolled her eyes "I have to get used to that."

"Don't. It doesn't get telepathy to figure that condition out."

"Fine, but I'll fill you guys in later. I'm going to see if I can find any leads in the field."

Evie was tempted to tell her to be careful, but she didn't know what they were up against. So, despite the bad feeling she had since Chloe entered Watchtower, she turned to Victor and said, "Let's get started."

* * *

><p><em><strong>September 30<strong>_

"So... how was your first night patrolling?"

Feeling her feet hit the terrace, Evie replied quietly through her distorter, "Incredible, I see why you do it." Her and Oliver quickly made their way back into the penthouse before taking their glasses off. Oliver could see the smile on her face as he turned the lights on, a smile that Evie did nothing to contain.

It was amazing how much happened off the police's radar in one night. In a way, it was sad that Evie lost track of how many crimes they had prevented, but it also showed how much good that Oliver and his team did, and she felt privileged to be a part of it.

"You might want to consider practicing control on your adrenaline though," Oliver said as he walked around her, pulling back his hood and laying his glasses on the table. "I don't think you had to give that guy a concussion after I shot him with the taser arrow."

She smirked back, shrugging as she watched Oliver approach the clock face, behind which he kept his gear. "True, but I have a low tolerance for rapists."

Overall, it had been a successful venture, considering it was something Evie never saw herself doing. But being on the streets, helping people directly, it had a great feeling that came with it. The fact that Oliver was willing to deal with the extra weight on the zipline was bonus, because while Bart offered to take her to Watchtower, Evie really wanted to understand Oliver's place in the team.

For the most part, she had been in contact with Victor indirectly, and even though she knew about it, she had no idea how this life really was. But Oliver took her with his signature grin, and gave her a quick tour before coming back to the penthouse.

Heading over to the clothes she had brought along, Evie was about to express her gratitude when she heard a different voice. "No... freaking way."

Turning their heads towards the sound, both Evie and Oliver saw Lois standing at the end of the hallway, whipping her head between the two, mouth widening with each turn.

"I can explain?" Oliver said weakly, knowing it was likely a futile attempt, especially with the clock face doors partially open.

Evie focused on Lois to be sure more than anything and promptly shook her head. "Nice try Oliver, but we're both screwed right now."

"What the _hell _is going on?" Lois finally managed.

"Cliff notes version," Evie said as she slipped her hood off, "this is exactly what it looks like."

Lois wasn't even paying attention as she stared at Oliver. "You're Green Arrow? You?"

"Yes." Easily was never the manner of which Oliver wanted to reveal his alter ego, but the proof was right in front of her.

"And you... you're... who _are_ you?"

Sighing before Evie turned back towards the bag which held her street clothes. "A long story that I don't have time for."

It wasn't what Evie wanted to say, but it was late, and she knew Lois would have plenty of questions, questions that Evie really didn't want to drudge up right now.

Oliver, seeing how the look on his friend's face dropped as she opened the backpack, intervened, hoping to reduce the tension in the room. "Lois what do you need?"

Lois wasn't an idiot, she knew this was awkward, and probably the furthest from which they wanted her to find out about their identities, but she was still disappointed. Why couldn't they trust her? Why did it have to come to finding out about them _this _way? But those answers could wait for now, there were more pressing matters as to why Lois was in the clock tower right now. "I was wondering if you had seen Chloe."

Those words froze both Evie and Oliver. She stopped rummaging in her bag, turning instantly to face Lois again. Oliver meanwhile, took a step towards Lois, and said, "I thought she was with you tonight."

"That's the thing, she never showed, and I got mad that she stood me up, but she's not here."

"Hold on," Evie said, activating her com, grateful it was still in her ear. "Echo online. Cyborg, any sign of Tower where you are?"

"_It's her night off, remember?"_ When Evie didn't immediately reply, he added, "_What's going on Echo?"_

Gone. That was the status of her patrolling high. What was going on? No one likely had a clue. Sure, Chloe would stake off on a lead or something, but she always called either her or Lois, and with a blank message screen on her phone, Evie knew, something was wrong. "I'll touch base soon... we've got a situation. Over and out." Evie switched off her com to look back at Oliver, then Lois' face. She shook her head, knowing that words were pointless. "I'll have Cyborg handle a tracker on her phone... it's a start."

"Wait just a minute," Lois fired back, storming towards Evie, yanking her arm to get her attention. "Who the heck is Cyborg and what aren't you telling me?"

Shrugging off Lois' grip, Evie put her sweater over her uniform, giving both Oliver and Lois a stern look once she saw them again. "You two stay here."

"Why?" Oliver replied expectantly. "You're just as emotionally involved in this as we are."

"That might be true, but considering Green Arrow's past with Chloe in Star City, it might connect a few more dots than we want," Evie countered, knowing it wasn't what Oliver wanted to hear, but if the public saw Green Arrow as picking favourites, his credibility would slip. Not to mention the fact enemies may use Chloe against him, or use it to determine Oliver is Green Arrow.

Reaching into her bag again, Evie slipped her jeans on, oddly thankful for the skin tightness of her uniform so she didn't have to change. "You tracking her as Oliver Queen doesn't help much either, thanks to your paparazzi entourage. And if we do find someone who could help us out, they would likely be more forthcoming to someone like me instead of a _Daily Planet _reporter."

"Besides..." Evie dragged out, hoping to calm the room, "for all we know, she's okay."

It was more of a hope than an actual concept to Evie, she knew that, but Oliver wasn't aware of Marnie's disappearance, which lead Evie to believe she and Victor had some explaining to do once Watchtower had finished decrypting Chloe's intelligence.

Looking back up, it seemed that she had temporarily convinced Oliver, but Lois hadn't backed down. Evie bit her lip, knowing that the truth had to remain hidden for now, and that she had to get moving. "I'll tell you everything when I get back Lois, you deserve that much, but right now is not the time."

"Let her go Lois," Oliver said, trying to have her back right now while there were a thousand scenarios running through his head. "We can trust her."

Evie beamed as she looked at Oliver, who just nodded at her. She knew how hard it was for him to stand back at a time like this, but his faith in her meant more than he knew. Looking back at Lois, Evie watched her gesture towards the elevator, so Evie wasted little time getting out. With any luck, she was overreacting, and Chloe would be back by the time Oliver had finished coming clean.

Exiting the elevator, Evie quickly entered the streets with a call to Victor's cell, immediately saying, "I need you to track Chloe's phone... Lois said she never showed up," when he picked up.

"_On it,"_ Victor replied, typing away at Watchtower, hoping for a clue. _"You're tracking this civilian-style?"_

"I told Oliver and Lois to stay behind. I'm really hoping we can fix this, but unlike him, I'm not exactly comfortable jumping over rooftops, which means I have to stick to my strengths."

"_Fair enough,"_ Victor said with a chuckle. _"Does that mean...?"_

"Lois knows about him, yeah. As for me... well, I'll get into that long-winded speech once I know Chloe's safe."

Evie kept her fast walking pace, even though she had no idea where she was supposed to go. For that, she waited for Victor to give her the go-ahead. Her answer came within a couple of blocks. _"I got a read on her cell, but you're not going to like it."_

At this point, a read on her cell was more than what Chloe was expecting, so she fired back, "Try me."

"_Right in the heart of Suicide Slums,"_ he replied with a slight amount of hesitance, because even though he knew that Chloe could handle herself, that was never the first clue anyone wanted to her.

Picking up her pace, Evie said, "Get me there Vic... I need her to be okay right now."

Victor guided her to the location but Evie's face fell further when he said that she was seconds from it. There was no visual sign of Chloe, but Evie saw the purse in the hands of a homeless man, likely rummaging through its contents for anything of value.

Running up to the man, she drove him up to the wall, even though she knew it was a drastic manoeuvre. Watching the purse drop, Evie subtly moved it towards her hand, and held it up.

Forearm digging into the man's neck, Evie didn't hold back as she demanded, "Where did you get this?"

"On the ground, I swear," the man managed, clearly in shock over the attack.

Part of Evie wanted to feel bad, and remembered Oliver's words, but this was different. If this man had any information, she was getting it. "You swear, huh?" Ignoring the rational part of her brain, Evie pushed harder. "Where?"

He lifted his hand to waft it in a southern direction. "Fancy building downtown."

It wasn't much, but if it was the truth, it was a start. Evie stared at him harder to look into his mind, praying for an exact location, but to no avail. Releasing him, she backed away, and watched as the man caught his breath as he tried to run away, but she stopped him. "For fifty bucks, will you show me where?"

It didn't take long for him to reply. "You got yourself a deal, lady."

Digging into her pocket, Evie pulled out her wallet, showing the man her money. He reached out, but she pulled it back. "After," she deadpanned, trying to hold back the adrenaline and anger in her system. It was clear that it wasn't this man's fault, but that didn't make the situation easier for her.

For about ten, maybe fifteen, minutes, she followed the man, and as they got closer to downtown, Evie couldn't help but feel nervous. It was all of the familiar buildings that were coming into view, which meant it wasn't likely because of a lead that Chloe lost her purse. This really didn't look good now.

Time ticked by more, but Evie's heart rate didn't spike until she watched the man walk off the pavement and point down. "It was right here. I even waited ten minutes for the owner to come back."

_Damn,_ Evie thought, taking another look around, for right behind her, was their apartment building. It was clear now that it was going to take a little more work to find Chloe. "Thank you," she said as she paid the homeless man, who was more than happy to take off after the money was given to him.

Holding Chloe's purse in her hand, Evie pulled out Chloe's phone, surprised to see it in there, but with that came the hope that something in her call log would explain where she was.

Half-way to Watchtower, Evie saw an unknown number, so she tried calling it, hoping for a break, but there was no answer. Not willing to give up on that, she went up the elevator, knowing that Victor would be able to track the call, but before she got inside, a text came on Chloe's phone.

_This is what happens when you refuse to mind your own business. Don't make the same mistake as your friend._

Nervous about the picture attachment, Evie opened it anyway, and held her hand over her mouth. Chloe was definitely in trouble, and it looked like they were going to need all the help they could get right now. Victor's face didn't help once she opened the doors to Watchtower. Looking up, Evie saw the results of decrypting the thumb drive.

Nope, this wasn't good at all.

**~0~**

Despite having no idea how she got here, Chloe had lost track of time she had spent here, but it was at least enough to track the clichés. Dark room, likely an abandoned warehouse, a single light above her which didn't reveal much. She was hoping for duct tape or handcuffs, things she could get her way out of easily, but unfortunately, whoever took her knew what they were doing. The only duct tape around was on her mouth, meaning screaming for help wasn't exactly an option.

Pulling at the zipties that bound her wrists and ankles, Chloe winced as the hard plastic began to dig into her skin. Her arms were starting to get tired as they were wrapped around a pipe behind her back, but Chloe knew she wouldn't break, no matter how many seconds ticked by.

But she was pissed at how careless she had been. It was a simple lead, a phone number, but instead of trying to track it, she called it. Now, she sat here, all because she didn't follow her own protocol.

She wanted to turn her head when she heard the door behind her open, but Chloe knew there was little point in doing so. The footsteps were slow, almost calculated, which meant whoever was here wasn't on her side of things. So it didn't surprise her when Lex finally came into her line of view. This whole set-up reeked of LuthorCorp.

"Sorry about the tape," he remarked, "but you have a tendency of interrupting me." Leaning down, he stared into her eyes and said, "It will come off soon though... you will talk."

Chloe let out a muffled scoff through the tape, letting Lex know she wasn't going to give him anything he wanted.

"I have to say though, in my time away, your taste in men hasn't improved. First Clark, who never saw you, then Oliver Queen of all people... you know it's only a matter of time before he breaks your heart right? That's just who he is."

He rubbed his hands as he continued to pace around the room. "On the bright side, you meet a better fate than your boss. Unlike poor Mrs. Wilder... you serve more purpose to me alive."

Once the shock registered through her system, Chloe struggled through her bonds, but it was no use. She wanted to swear at Lex, but even if she could, it wouldn't change the facts. Lex had long made his bed; it just appeared there were more lines that he was willing to cross than Chloe thought.

"It isn't really a shame for me... never was a fan of her work." Lex finally looked back at Chloe, smiling at her predicament. "But then again, it's probably why you got along so well. You both were always sticking your noses into where it didn't belong."

He took a final step towards Chloe, looking down into her defiant eyes before adding what would be the final words she heard that night, "I'll spare the bloody details, but I want you to consider the possible consequences of lying to me when I ask you what I want."

With that, Lex walked away, leaving Chloe alone in her room again. She had to find a way out, because she had a feeling things were about to get much worse.


	5. October part 1

**October**

_**October 1**_

She felt groggy, but Chloe couldn't place how or when she slept. But there was this incessant snapping sound in her ears, one that she wanted to shut off, but a sharp tug back as she moved her arms reminded Chloe of her circumstances.

_Lex_... _lucky me._

The maniacal cackle came within seconds of her movement, as for some reason; there was reason to find pride in her circumstances. Then again, he didn't even blink when he told Chloe about Marnie, so really, at this point, nothing felt like a surprise.

"Morning," the man himself said with arrogance, "Sleep well?"

Chloe was wondering how Lex was expecting her to answer, but once the tape was ripped from her mouth, she let out a tiny gasp. However, that was the only sound she made. Slowly, she lifted her head, giving Lex a hard glare, showing that she was smarter than he likely gave anyone but himself credit.

Lex took her silence, nudging her leg delicately with his shoe. "What? I thought for sure there'd be a comment on the fact I'm standing before you now."

It was Chloe's turn to laugh as she pulled her leg as far away she could from him. "If you think I bought you dying in that explosion... you're more delusional than I thought." Lex nodded, but didn't say anything in response, walking behind Chloe because he knew she couldn't see him. Curiosity winning out, Chloe sighed. "Any particular reason I'm here Lex? Or are you intending on torturing me with silence and pointless small talk?"

"And ruin the surprise?" Lex replied, still from behind Chloe. "Where's the sense of fun in that?"

"Okay I'll bite. Why take her Lex? Why did you _kill _her?"

Lex continued to walk around the room, deciding for a little honesty this time. "I told her that I'd shoot her if she didn't give me what I wanted and she told me to go to hell." Now closer to Chloe, Lex leaned against the pipe she was tied to and talked down to her. "It's not my fault she didn't cooperate."

Glaring up at Lex again, Chloe could barely see even a portion of the man's face, but it was enough. "What happened to you? You used to be a decent person."

"Come on Chloe, you of all people know what happened." Pushing himself off the pipe, his footsteps echoed through the room once more, but he met Chloe's eyes soon after, wanting her to understand what he said next. "Everyone stopped trusting me, and that's when I realized that if you want a job done right, if you want answers... you need to do it yourself."

"That's what I'm here for? Answers?"

"Ideally, but you see, I've changed my mind, even though I'd prefer you and your so-called heroes staying out of my business. Speaking of... how does Oliver feel knowing his girl's got an admirer?" He noticed the change in Chloe's expression, almost confusion, but Lex wasn't buying it. "Rumour is Green Arrow's come to town, and while there hasn't been a confirmed sighting, word is he's got a soft spot for you."

Taking advantage of his proximity, Chloe spat right in his face. From there, it didn't take long for Lex to back away, wiping her saliva from his cheek. Her confidence coming back to her, Chloe didn't hesitate in saying, "If you were half the man Oliver is, then you'd know that he has nothing to worry about."

Staring at the hand which had wiped away the spit, Lex deadpanned, "Let's hope for your sake that he loves you as much as you claim."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"He took something from me Chloe, just like I did him. It's simple really."

It took Chloe a second to realize what Lex wanted back, but she supposed that it made sense that he didn't want a business rival finding his more illegal expenditures. "You want LuthorCorp back."

She just barely caught a smirk as Lex walked behind her, smarmily replying, "It seems we have a winner." Once facing her again, Lex knelt down in front of her feet, and pulled out a switchblade, carefully running his finger down the blade before cutting the ziptie from her ankles with one swift motion. Chloe narrowed her eyes, wondering what was on his mind, but Lex put the knife away just as fast and began to walk towards the door.

"If you want your freedom," he added with his back to Chloe, "you have to wait a little while longer." After that, the only sound Chloe heard was the door slamming shut behind Lex, leaving her alone in the room once again.

**~0~**

Evie barged into Watchtower, nervous about the text she had received from Oliver to meet there asap. Because she was at Metro at the time, it took little time to convince a co-worker to cover for her, but an update only meant one thing, it was Chloe-related.

It didn't take long for Evie and Victor to pinpoint what happened to Chloe, but the details were fuzzy. One thing they knew for sure was that, if Marnie's and Chloe's disappearances were related, Lex was involved.

"Oliver, what's going on?"

He was staring at the blueprints of the facility Victor had referred him to. It had to be it. Abandoned warehouse just outside of the city, bought by LuthorCorp weeks before Lex's disappearance. At this point, it wouldn't surprise Oliver if it was a complete 33.1.

However, that for once didn't matter to him. The call may have been traced to the city limits, but it was still one Oliver never wanted to have. "Ransom call came in an hour ago...set up the drop." Lex hadn't been on the other end, but Oliver hadn't expected it to be _that _easy.

Nodding, Evie asked optimistically, "Proof of life?"

"Nothing more than the photo you were given, but I'm not taking that chance." Oliver finally turned around, half-showing Evie the blueprints. "We got a clue on the location; we're looking to suit up before the drop tomorrow."

"No," she replied flatly. Finding the phone, the photo, the location, it seemed way too easy for something of this magnitude. Chloe was a fighter, and she wasn't going to get kidnapped by second-rates, especially if Lex was involved. But he had been quiet, but he must have waiting for this opportunity, and it wouldn't be a shock if he used Chloe to get to Oliver... or Green Arrow.

It was this reason that Evie replied the way she did. If he was holding this meeting for the reason she thought, Oliver was likely about to run into a trap full-speed. Her expression turning serious, Evie broke her silence. "Do the drop Ollie. You can't bring in Green Arrow in this one."

"Why not?"

She didn't expect to convince him easily, Oliver was close to being as stubborn as they came, but Evie had to try. "Don't you see the obvious risks?"

"This is Chloe, the risk is worth it." With that, Oliver turned away from her, walking over to the console. He couldn't just give in to the demands because there was no guarantees that he'd get Chloe back. But he knew Evie enough to know she'd have a retort, so he cut her off, letting her know that the conversation was dead. "The guys will be here any minute."

Unfortunately for him, that didn't work. Evie and Victor hadn't fully disclosed the full extent of the intelligence on the thumb drive, but Oliver was aware of the existence, the reason it was in Chloe's hands, and the too-convenient timing after Marnie's disappearance. "Oliver, you can't do this. You're going to get yourself killed and you know it."

Pulling the chain out from under his shirt, Oliver played with the dog tags at the end. It was his hope on the island, the hope of seeing Chloe's smiling face, the perseverance to never give up, even if the odds seemed bleak. Clutching them tight against his chest, Oliver deadpanned, "If you want to be on the sidelines for this one, then so be it, but this is happening."

Evie blinked a couple times, as she couldn't believe that he was brushing her off so easily, but she listened to him and promptly walked out of Watchtower. She couldn't be a part of something that brought the team down, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to bring Chloe back.

Going down the elevator alone, Evie began to contemplate other options, anything she could do to change his mind, but nothing stuck, or at least, nothing with the team anyway. The problem was, she could understand Oliver's reasons for not wanting to do the drop. If Lex indeed was involved, there was no reason Chloe couldn't become a victim in all this.

Seeing the doors open, Evie was surprised to see Victor and AC on the other side. She smiled at them, told them she was getting some air, which seemed to suffice despite a questioning look from Vic. Approaching the entrance, she saw Bart enter the building and it didn't take long for him to sense the apprehension in his cousin.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

She tried to leave the building, but after a second's hesitation, Bart zipped in front of her, blocking the doors. "Uh uh... I know you, and this is far from fine." He watched his cousin roll her eyes, trying to get past him, but Bart wasn't having any of it. He wanted the truth. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Evie tried to explain the situation as best as she could, while Bart watched her, seeing the wheels turning in her head, knowing that Evie was coming up with a plan, and knowing her, she wouldn't tell anyone. So once she finished, he immediately asked, "What do you want to do?"

She shrugged, knowing that answer. "Make Oliver hate me?"

Bart was used to her stalling techniques, so he decided to kibosh any effort she'd take in protecting him. Because she would, even though he was grown up and capable, she always did. "I'm in, whatever you want."

"No Bart, I'm not getting you in trouble. Besides, we haven't done a field mission since—"

"We're blood, which means you have me whether you want to or not." His expression brightened to his normal snarky smile as he pointed out the obvious, but something that she still needed to hear. "And hey, we survived didn't we?"

Part of Evie still wanted to say no, but she knew that she needed more information than what she had if her plan was to be successful. "I need to know the location, the time of the drop, and the time Oliver is planning his operation... can you do that for me?" Seeing Bart nod, Evie smiled before heading towards the doors.

She meant it, Oliver was not going to like what she was about to do, but he was also right, Chloe was worth the risk. Just not the risk he was going to take.

* * *

><p><em><strong>October 2<strong>_

The door swung open, louder than usual, so Chloe brought her head up, trying to turn her head to see who was coming, but the multiple steps confused her, unless this was the so-called 'freedom' Lex spoke of earlier.

She considered talking, but she relented, instead finding surprise as freedom came to her arms. Jumping to her feet, Chloe felt her arms relax, but she was on guard, ready for anything.

Anything except who was facing her when she got up. "How...?" In front of her stood Evie, in full Echo uniform, with one of the guards, one that Chloe actually recognized. During her stay, he had been anything but friendly, but now he stood at the door, almost acting like a bodyguard

"He's on our side, or at least for now." Evie said with the help of her distorter. "But we got to get out of here now. I don't..." her voice trailed as she tried to hide the familiar shot of pain throughout her head, "I don't have as much time as I'd like."

Chloe saw the jolt in her friend's body language, and looked around again, hoping Evie hadn't come alone if she wasn't one hundred percent. "Where's –"

"Not here, just Impulse." Evie knew that Arrow was the end of her sentence, but she couldn't afford to waste any more time, but Chloe's curiosity was still running, so Evie grabbed her hand and began to take her to the door. "I can explain later, first we have to get out of here."

Against the wall by the door, Evie held her other hand over her head. It was getting worse and if they didn't act soon, things would turn sour fast. Activating her comm, she called out to Bart, "Impulse, do you read me?" Bart began to reply as he took a couple guys down, but Evie abruptly stopped him. "She's fine, locate my tracker and come and get her."

Chloe, realizing the pain wasn't something she could ignore anymore, put a hand on Evie's shoulder. "Echo...are you..."

"Fine," Evie replied through gritted teeth, relieved to see Bart zip through the door and barricade the entrance. She felt the control on the guard slipping, so she strengthened it, not surprised when the attempt was met with consequence.

With a single blink, Evie faked her own strength and told her cousin, "I can keep up a diversion, and the cameras should stay disconnected for a couple minutes, it should be enough."

She was trying, Bart could see that, but this wasn't his first mission with Evie, and he could tell when she was close to her limit. "I'm not leaving you here."

"You and I both know you can't handle both of us." Realizing that Bart was calling her bluff, Evie relented, hoping a white flag of sorts would get him going. "Impulse... _please_... I can't keep this up for long."

Despite the dark glasses, Evie could feel her cousin glaring at her, but he also knew that she was right. "Don't do anything stupid, and don't you die on me."

Evie looked back as they zipped by. "No guarantees," she replied honestly as she approached the door carefully with her entranced bodyguard. She wanted to be confident about this, but they had underestimated Lex's goons' skills, and took longer than they hoped. With any luck, things could pick up and everything would still go according to plan.

The door screeched to open gunfire, so Evie manoeuvred behind the doors, only poking out when she could confidently stop the bullets. She never wanted to use extreme measures, but it looked like she had no choice, and forced the guard to fire his gun, only aiming at the kneecaps of the others, and even though it was out of self-defence, Evie couldn't help but apologize. For all she knew, they were just trying to pay the bills, and knowing Lex, it wouldn't surprise her if they had much of a choice in their job description.

It was enough to get them out of the room, but between controlling the guard and stopping bullets, Evie knew her limit was fast approaching, but she had to keep going. Chloe was first priority, and she had to get out first, even if Evie's sense of time had completely disappeared. But she refused to look into the cameras, even if they were still offline, to test that theory.

Backing towards the corner, Evie knew she'd have release her control if she expected to get out conscious. Letting go, she turned the corner and started running, keeping her surroundings into account. She had turned a couple corners, tapping her com, hoping Bart was coming back. Her head was throbbing so hard, and she couldn't shake off the black outs for much longer.

"Impulse... I need you asap," was all she could manage before she turned another corner, and before she could relay her location, she felt it.

Lifting her head, she noticed a single guard who stood in front of her, clearly a rookie as his hands trembled with the gun. It was a clean shot, that much she could tell as she coughed, falling forward towards the ground.

But she didn't fall far, feeling Bart catch her and waste no time taking off. The blur almost felt calming to Evie as she struggled to keep her eyes open. At this point, everything was a fight, but as seconds began to feel like minutes, Evie knew she was losing. After a few minutes, she was lying down in their hideout, still coughing blood.

"Oh my god, Evie," she head Chloe yell, right before she came into her eyesight. Bart had brought them to their basement loft, still covering her butt, even after she got shot. Evie couldn't even imagine what Oliver would think of what she did, or Victor, who risked plenty to get her to join the team in the first place.

Turning her head momentarily, Evie noticed Bart had already gone, likely to fetch Emil, but she could already feel her life leaving her.

"Stay with me," Chloe persisted, doing everything she could to stop the bleeding with the materials at her disposal. Yet each time her friend's eyes flickered open and closed, Chloe's efforts quickened, desperate to fix things. "You can't die, not now."

"It's okay Chloe," Evie replied between coughs, "It's better this way."

She truly believed that, as it would give her, and everyone else around her, the freedom they deserved. They didn't have the burden of her secret, and they could keep living.

Chloe disagreed, and surprised Evie with a quick slap. It seemed to wake her up momentarily as Chloe wiped tears from her eyes. "Don't talk like that, you're living through this." Looking over her shoulder, she yelled, "Damn it Bart, where are you?"

Finally finding her voice again, Evie managed, "You're the... best friend... I could have asked for. Thank you."

"No Evie stay with me." Chloe did what she could but she could see her friend fading fast. "No... no no no," she kept repeating upon seeing Evie's head move to the side. Feeling the tears fill her eyes, Chloe dropped her head on her friend's chest.

She didn't want to lose anyone else, not like this, and especially not because of her. Chloe felt the tears start to leave her eyes, and felt the weight leave her chest as she slumped down against her friend's body.

**~0~**

She had been expecting white light or some sort of paradise, not a huge weight on her body, but Evie supposed that beggars couldn't be choosers. Opening her eyes, she was ready to face it when reality stared her in the face. It was safe to say when Evie opened her eyes; Chloe lying unconscious wasn't exactly the first thing she expected to see. Then again, neither was the basement that she and Bart rented, which only meant one thing.

"Chloe?" she said in a panic, pushing her friend's body up, noticing the blood on her clothing. Tempted to shake her awake, Evie thought better of it and lay her down carefully on the floor. "What did you do?" she whispered, trying to figure out a possible way this could have happened.

But seeing the blood reminded Evie of how she got to this point and how she had been shot, but there was no more blood gushing from the wound, nor was there any pain in moving around. Pushing up her shirt, Evie looked down in shock. It was gone, as the only evidence of the shot was the bullet itself falling to the floor, but her chest didn't even have a scratch, just dried blood.

Her eyes immediately went back to Chloe's face. "It can't be," she whispered, finally looking up at the surprised eyes of Emil and Bart. Emil looked quizzically at the situation while Bart sprung towards his cousin in relief.

But Evie was just baffled, so she couldn't return the embrace Bart was giving her. "What happened guys?"

As he backed away, Bart's mouth opened and closed a bunch of times, as he had no idea how to explain what happened, so Emil took over. "You were both unconscious when we walked in."

Emil walked over to her and helped Evie and Bart lift Chloe's body to the nearby couch. The cousins stepped back to allow him to do his work, but within what felt like seconds, Emil stepped back. "I want to do more, but most of my supplies are in Watchtower now. I need to have her transferred."

She nodded, knowing that he was right, and Evie wasn't about to waste any time. "I'll call Clark for Chloe... Bart can take you over."

Emil seemed ready for the plan but seeing the look on her face prompted him to ask, "What about you?"

Evie paused as she dialled, before looking up and giving them a grim smile. "I'll catch up on foot."

**~0~**

Standing in Watchtower wasn't easy for Oliver as even though Chloe had just joined the team, everything about this place reminded him of her. Coffee stains, hints of her perfume in the air, the signs help further Oliver's resolve, but the feeling it gave him didn't make it easier as he typed away.

He wasn't the greatest technical person on the team, but Oliver insisted on running every lead here, the guys covering the groundwork, while Clark and Lois kept an ear out at the _Daily Planet _for any scoop. It wasn't easy to convince Lois not to get overly involved in this, but with the arranged mission at ten tonight, Oliver wasn't about to blow his chances. The drop was for midnight, which meant that the team had plenty of time to get this done.

Looking down at his phone, he realized it was about time to get the group together when he heard the alert on the elevator. He only peered up, but upon seeing what he did, Oliver bolted from the console, surprised to find himself with plenty of company. Clark left soon after, mumbling something about Lois, and Oliver didn't wait to figure out what the other two men were doing. His eyes were stuck on Chloe.

He knelt by her side, repeating her name, but nothing, no response. Within seconds, Oliver was speechless. All he could do was stare at her face, and it was killing Oliver that he had no idea what had happened. But as he turned his head, noticing who was involved, Oliver had an idea of who was missing.

"Evie?"

"She'll be here soon," Emil replied as he worked around Oliver to check Chloe's vitals again, hoping for a different answer than the first time. The other man could see the disappointment in his eyes when that wasn't the case.

"Bart," Oliver said, holding onto his emotions by a thread, "Can you inform the guys? I..."

The younger man nodded, seeing how much Oliver was struggling. "Got it boss," was all he said before dashing out of the room.

From there, all either man could do was wait, neither knowing why they were waiting, but after about ten minutes, the elevator alert popped up again, showing Evie emerging, albeit hesitatingly.

Knowing his place in the situation, Emil said to Oliver, "Be easy on her... she feels bad enough right now."

Oliver nodded, and could only listen as Emil left the room, only to hear the smallest of squeaks later, a sign of the door opening. Looking up, Oliver noticed Evie peering inside. Acknowledging her presence, he said, "Hey."

"Hey." Evie took a step, maybe two, inside of Watchtower, but she paused and quickly shook her head. She thought that she could handle this, but she couldn't. "I'll leave you two... I'll just be in the hallway."

"Not so fast," Oliver said, his voice alone stopping Evie in her tracks. "We have to talk."

"Oliver," Evie said, taking a couple precautious steps backwards prior to facing Oliver again, "before you start, just allow me to—"

"What the hell were you thinking?"

His tone was quieter than she expected, even a hint of concern expressed in his words. It was that concern that scared Evie though, because even though they were friends, it was because of her that Chloe was here like this.

"I was saving your life," Evie started, fully believing her intentions of what happened. "You've been careful enough to have no confirmed sightings of Green Arrow since you came to town, so a day after a ransom demand comes into you, the Green Arrow suddenly swoops in and saves the day?" Closing her eyes, Evie took a deep breath, knowing that Oliver wasn't going to like what she was about to say. "You of all people know that Lex is smarter than that."

"But what made you think you could make that call? We're a team, we make decisions together."

Evie knew that was a valid argument, and one she considered, but one she knew she couldn't let affect her decision. "When you didn't listen to me, I knew you'd go in there arrows-a-blazing. Oliver, he doesn't know that I'm affiliated with you, and –"

Oliver finally snapped. "That's because he thought you were dead!"

Silence lingered in the air for a few minutes, the two friends staring at each other, but Evie finally broke the tension that lay between them. "I doubt that." Oliver opened his mouth to protest, but Evie took a few steps forward, but upon seeing Chloe, promptly stopped again. "He's probably been doing research for years...all this does was confirm it."

He wanted to press more, but Oliver knew it was pointless. "What happened?"

Evie brought her hand to the back of her head, making a fist in her hair. "Getting shot wasn't on my to-do list, but after that... I don't know what happened." Her expression grew serious as she turned to face Oliver again. "But Chloe will wake up... she has to."

"What makes you so sure?"

She shrugged, not sure what to tell him initially. "I was lying on the floor Oliver, bleeding to death... now there's nothing." She peered over in Chloe's direction again and said the only explanation she could think of, "I... I think she healed me."

"That's not possible," Oliver almost dragged out, widening his eyes as he stared back at Chloe. This wasn't the Chloe he knew, lying around, sporting a distraught yet calm expression. Oliver was used to Chloe always running around, always trying to save the world, or him. She had to wake up, he couldn't imagine life without her now. "Is it... possible?"

Evie hadn't expected Oliver to believe her, heck, Evie almost couldn't believe it herself, but it was the only thing that made sense. The fact that Oliver was open to the possibility either meant he was in shock, or that the method had merit. It was likely the former, but Evie held onto any stray amount of hope she had. She walked to stand beside where Oliver was sitting, and, not bothering with her shyness at this point, Evie lifted her shirt to show where the wound used to be. "Ask Bart... I know I was shot while inside the LuthorCorp facility."

Oliver turned his head, knowing to expect nothing, but the shock that persisted in Evie's eyes as she looked down was all he needed. Besides, Oliver knew Evie wasn't exactly the lying type, or at least, she wouldn't lie about this, but he still couldn't believe it. Shaking his head, he grabbed Chloe's hand, squeezing it gently in hopes the pressure would awaken her. "But this hasn't happened before, she never told me..."

Evie stood there, watching as Oliver slid his fingers down Chloe's arm, amazed at how lost he felt in that moment. "I don't think she knew," she almost said in a whisper, wanting to give Oliver what reassurance she could. "Abilities have a way of manifesting, it's not necessarily a gift given right at birth. For me, telekinesis at twelve, telepathy was apparently my fifteenth birthday present, and the others came to me within the next couple of years."

She took a deep breath and began to walk away. "All I know is...this is what happens when I'm in someone else's mind for too long. The longest I've been is ten hours, but I flat-lined each time, just like Chloe." Half-way to the door, she stopped and looked back, surprised to see Oliver looking at her. With a shrug, Evie added, "If I wasn't in 33.1 when it happened, I probably would have been buried alive, but to them... it was one _sick_ test."

Oliver saw her tearing up again, as she remembered her time inside and he wanted to say something, but he didn't know what he could say. So instead, Evie walked back to the foot of the couch, determination in her eyes. "It sounds crazy I know... but it's the only thing I have to base it on." Taking another breath, Evie headed for the doors again, pausing as she pushed one forward, "And at this point, it's better than nothing."

Exiting the room, Evie crumpled to the floor, hands over her face, aware of the tears that fell from her eyes. She knew Emil was still there, and that it was only a matter of time before Clark and Bart came back, but she didn't care. For so long, she had been so strong and as each day went by, she felt herself breaking down further, even though for once, it wasn't her fault. But blood was still shed, and her best friend, hopefully, was just in a coma.

She shook her head, wondering why she thought fighting would be easier than this. There are always consequences to standing up against people like Lex Luthor, but this hurt, because for a second... Evie was ready to give up, but instead it was Chloe who flat-lined to allow Evie to live.

Feeling a hand on her back, Evie brought her head up to see Emil kneeling beside her. She sniffled a couple tears back before whispering, "I'm doing the right thing... right?"

He just nodded, which seemed to be enough for her to find the strength to stand, but she wasn't going anywhere. Not until Chloe woke up.

* * *

><p><em>Stay Tuned for Part 2<em>


	6. October part 2

_**October 3**_

He was fading fast, because she wasn't making it easy on him. The hours tore away, and Oliver could barely keep his eyes open, but he wanted to be awake when Chloe woke up.

The majority of the time, Oliver had been sitting in the chair, holding her hand, or pacing around Watchtower, but an eye always on her. But now, he knelt on the floor, her hand now in both of his. For hours, it had been cold, and for some reason, Oliver thought that if he could warm it up, she would come back to him.

He wasn't going to give up on her, even if it meant sitting in here for an entire day. Chloe would never give up on him, even that was him on the couch. She'd find answers; work every possible angle until the truth was found. But Oliver had none, no angle to research, because this was something out of his expertise. Victor was running logistics on possible theories while attempting to control the damage on the technical side of things, but so far, his phone had been quiet.

Looking up into her eyes again, Oliver hoped for some movement. Any movement.

Instead, he got a sound. It wasn't much, a murmur, but Oliver jumped from his spot, sitting barely on the couch, waiting desperately for another sound. Seconds later, he watched her eyes flutter open, and with that, he gave a sigh of relief. He hadn't lost her.

Once she noticed Oliver staring back at her, Chloe gave him a familiar smile. "Ollie."

Leaning down, Oliver carefully hugged her, whispering lightly in her ear. "I'm right here." He wasn't sure why of all things he said that, but when he felt her hand on his cheek, Oliver just about lost it right then and there.

"What happened?" she asked, a question Oliver rather he didn't answer.

Sitting back up, he asked her, "Do you remember anything?"

"Lex... wanting his company back," Chloe said with a frown, remembering what she could, until Evie popped into her head, and she tried to sit up, but found pain in the attempt.

"Chloe, you should lie down."

"But Evie, she..."

"Just outside... do you want me to get her?" Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Oliver took the opportunity to lay Chloe back down carefully, his hands moving slowly down her arms to hold her hands. "She thinks you healed her. Chloe, you've been... unconscious, I guess, for over six hours."

Chloe blinked, baffled by Oliver's words. "That can't be true."

"I thought I heard voices," Emil's voice called, seconds after the double doors opened. "Sorry Oliver, I have to check her vitals."

Oliver nodded and headed towards the door, opening it to check on Evie, who had settled back down on the floor, knees pressed to the chest.

"I'm sorry," he said, causing Evie to shake out of surprise. She hadn't heard the door open, and she certainly hadn't expected to see Oliver right now. It had been a long six hours and while Emil went inside to check in on them, Evie hadn't expected anything.

But she couldn't leave the hallway, she couldn't give up on the friend who gave up her life potentially hers, yet it was for that reason that she couldn't walk back in that room. Seeing Chloe like that… it was downright frightening and although everyone had stints in the hallway or in the room to see her, in the end, it was still Emil and Evie who had remained outside, Oliver inside. Yet they hadn't spoken since Evie had come to Watchtower, partially because she knew, despite her intentions, she went behind the team's back and she had messed with the trust that she had worked so hard to earn.

Seeing that Evie hadn't moved, Oliver sat down beside her, trying to look her in the eye. "You were right... Lex probably would have caught on and I would have risked more than I would have liked."

Wiping a tear from her eye, Evie finally turned her head. "You just wanted Chloe back, I can't blame you for that."

"She really wants to see you."

Evie blinked back a couple tears before her eyes went wide. "She really is awake?"

"Just like you said."

For the first time in what felt like forever, Evie smiled, but before she could stand up, Oliver grabbed Evie's arm and pulled her into a tight embrace. Surprised by the action, Evie lifted her arms, feeling his head on her shoulder.

"Thank you," he whispered, "Thank you for bringing her back."

* * *

><p><em><strong>October 4<strong>_

It had been less than a day since Evie saved Chloe, and vice versa, and yet, Evie knew she wasn't getting past this anytime soon. The only reason Chloe came back home instead of going to Oliver's was because he wanted her to get some rest, and despite everything, he trusted Evie enough to look after her. So last night consisted of Evie startling herself awake every couple of hours, only to look and see Chloe sleeping peacefully in the bed on the other side.

Well, that wasn't completely true either. A couple times Chloe would mutter something, usually _Don't_ in her sleep, but the moment Evie would get worried enough to check on her, Chloe's expression would soften.

Since getting up a couple of hours ago, Evie had retrieved the newspaper from outside their door and began reading it, wondering how many words were twisted to get this publication out to the public daily. Where Marnie's name was usually splashed on the front page as a by-line author, instead, a piece by Lois, reporting on how her body was found. Lois had wanted the piece to be about her disappearance, and demanded Tess to give her the front page once Chloe disappeared, but the other woman had delayed it, and now it had come to this.

Lois and Marnie shared a friendly rivalry at the paper, but when they found her body an hour after Chloe came back to Watchtower; Lois knew she had to cover it. It was the only reason Lois wasn't in Watchtower at all times, waiting for Chloe to wake up. In a way, Lois thought she owed that to her cousin, to get justice for what happened to her mentor, as none of them expected that Marnie Wilder would become collateral damage in all this. Yesterday, Lois had spent at the _Daily Planet_, completely irate, as to how her article got delayed until today. Looking at the piece now, it became clear to Evie what happened.

The article was nothing like what Lois had actually wrote. With Clark busy patrolling the streets; she had come back to the apartment to ask Evie to be her editor while she watched over Chloe. Evie knew the tone of the piece was going to be watered down, but she never thought it was going to get misconstrued this much.

Seeing it almost relieved Evie as to her giving up on sports writing. The politics of writing for a newspaper always got in the way, especially with what Chloe and Lois wanted to do, even with Oliver slightly in charge. At the end of the day, Tess made the calls, while Lex pulled the strings. It's why the Wilder family will never see justice for a woman who was just trying to do her job.

"Anything good in the paper today?"

Evie looked up from the paper and smiled upon seeing Chloe stretching as she entered the kitchen. "Not really," she replied, not wanting to worry her friend, as she closed the paper up and flipped it over to the classifieds on the back. "Sleep well?"

"Not too bad," Chloe admitted, knowing that there were some lingering emotions, but she had a good sleep overall, "but I think I need some coffee."

"Just brewed a new pot, but you might want to wait." She watched Chloe pause before she turned her head to look at Evie. "Lois will be here any minute, as she insists on a morning of caffeine and sugar to get through this endeavour."

"Evie, how did it feel when you found out you weren't... normal?"

Evie wasn't expecting that question, as she tore her away, her fingers fiddling with the newspaper pages on the table. "It wasn't easy, but it was just a matter of finding people who accepted me for me." She smirked momentarily, reminding her of the old days of training with her Uncle Don and Bart. "My uncle was the first, and then Bart...now you guys. I know I'm lucky, but you won't have any problems either."

"Don't you think..."

"Don't even go there, Chloe," Evie interjected, not wanting Chloe to dwell in whatever selfless theory she could find. "You're insane if you think that anyone is going to think less of you." Knowing that she'd question every detail, Evie continued to cover the obvious, "If you're worried about Oliver, you shouldn't be."

"Why not?"

"Because it isn't normal for guys to run around saving people in green tights?" Evie had said that as a joke, but her smile faded when she noticed Chloe's contemplative reaction hadn't changed. "And when I told him the possibility of you healing me... he hoped that I was right. He wanted it to be true because it meant that you'd be alive."

That should have helped Chloe, but all she could do was stare at her hands, as Chloe herself hardly understood what was going on. "And now I am... what does that mean?" She titled her head back, avoiding Evie's stare, and sighed. "I'm a freak, Evie... it's the only explanation."

Evie wanted to say something to persuade her otherwise, but the door opened and Lois stepped in, enthusiasm up to a high, despite her article disappointment. At this point, it was nothing in comparison to seeing her cousin looking better. "Good timing cuz, I bring blueberry muffins!"

As if a light switch went off when the door opened, Chloe quickly found a smile. "Thanks Lois."

Staring at her friend, Evie had seen the transition, and it worried her. Despite the steps forward, despite the devotion of people around her, Chloe still doubted everything. It wasn't Evie's place to say anything, but there was one thing she had to do this morning before she ran over to work.

Seeing Evie promptly get up and head towards her coat mere seconds after Lois had taken off her shoes, Lois asked, "Hey, where are you going?" Evie paused, but continued to put her coat on, so Lois dropped the bag she was carrying on the table and pulled out a small paper bag. "I even stopped off at the bakery across the street to get the fritters you swear by."

Walking over, Evie smirked at Lois as she took one of the fritters out of the bag. "I appreciate it Lois, but there's something I have to do."

Lois and Chloe both gave her a weird look, but Evie didn't care. The way she saw it, she was giving the two of them some cousin time, and herself time to think.

**~0~**

Oliver sighed as he filed away another folder into his desk. Taking off a couple days from work had its consequences, but it was something that he was willing to do, considering the circumstances. Lauren had done her part, covering the press, keeping everything at a minimum, along with the paperwork that she could handle herself, but when she insisted on working overtime during the weekend, he drew the line. It was his company, and he would get caught up. It would just take more time than he thought.

Hearing the elevator clatter, Oliver waited for it to stop before lifting his head. "You came."

Pulling back the gate, Evie gave him a small smirk. "Promised I would."

He pushed himself from his chair, walked around the desk to greet his guest properly. "How is she doing?"

Evie shrugged. "Okay... I think." She shoved her hands in her pockets before finally looking up at him. "Lex-wise, I think she's as strong as ever."

"I'm sensing a 'but' in this..."

"She..." Evie stopped, realizing that for all she knew, everything was fine. Post-kidnapping jitters could be all that was on Chloe's mind, instead of her usual self-doubt. But when Oliver kept looking at her, Evie realized that she had already said too much. "It's nothing, now that I think about it... I'm probably overreacting."

The cover up job wasn't bad, but Oliver hadn't seen Chloe as much as he would have liked, and when Evie sent up a red flag, there's usually a rational reason for it. "It's the healing ability isn't it?"

Evie took a deep breath. "Oliver, I came here to tell you that she's fine." Not wanting to talk about it anymore, she turned towards the elevator. "If you want to talk with her about something, then that's what you'll have to do."

Oliver was surprised by the sudden change of tone, but he wanted to make sure that a particular message got across. "I don't care about it, you know. The ability."

Closing her eyes as her fingers fell from the elevator gate, Evie said softly, "Tell her that then." She walked back to Oliver and leaned over to put the key to their apartment on his desk. "I've got an eight hour shift, so whatever you two need to figure out... I'm sure you can do in that time."

She tried to sell the most positive expression she could find before heading back to the elevator, when she remembered something else. "And I'll tell Lois to vamoose when you get there."

Again, her fingers were seconds from the elevator when Oliver's voice called out to her. "How are you?"

"Me?" Sure it was Oliver, who took concern for everyone on his team, but in a time like this, Evie had expected that his focus would be solely on Chloe.

"Yes, you." He took the surprise in her voice as not the best of signs, so he pressed on. "Look, we both kind of screwed up this time, but that doesn't mean that I don't care how you're feeling right now."

Turning her head slightly, Evie grinned at him. "Oddly enough, I'm okay," Evie lied, not wanting Oliver to worry more than he had to. "I've seen plenty worse than this."

She could hide a lot from Oliver, but since coming clean, Evie became easier for him to read, so he knew that she was less than okay. However it was true what she said and he hoped that Evie had a plan. "Yeah, I guess you have."

Nodding, Evie's mouth gaped open, thinking about convincing him further, but she decided against it. "Catch you later Oliver... I've got to head to work."

**~0~**

"Who was that?"

"Evie," Lois replied as she examined the text on her phone. "Just... letting me know that's she's heading to work."

It was the truth, the second half of the text wasn't something she wanted to share with her cousin, or else, knowing her, she'd make up a stupid excuse.

Chloe looked at her cousin with confusion and realized that she had been in this situation before. "Oh please don't tell me that you're my babysitter." It almost felt like they were taking turns looking after her, when Chloe could take care of herself fine. Sure, she had _one _little lapse in judgment, but if they seriously thought that...

"Far from it. I barely got any time to spend with you yesterday." _And still won't_, Lois added. She hated being second fiddle to Oliver, but Evie made it clear in her text that they had to talk and Lois had no intention of being there for the R-rated aftermath.

"Where were you yesterday?"

"Evie didn't tell you?"

"There were... a lot of things to go over." Chloe stared her hands again, as it had taken everything in her power yesterday not to have them shaking in front of her once she knew what she did. "I asked about you... but Evie said you were busy."

"Writing a puff piece that should be a power piece." Lois flipped over the _Daily Planet_, knowing that Chloe wouldn't want the truth hidden from her. "It's not even my piece though. That bitch cut out all the solid journalism I put into this."

Chloe could hardly read the headline before she tore her gaze from the paper. "It makes no sense Lois... why would Lex want her?"

Lois wanted to reassure her, but she was so out of the loop, that it was impossible to completely do just that. "Evie mentioned a thumb drive that was hers... maybe it's connected?"

"So... you were working," Chloe reaffirmed with hope that, "It had nothing to do with what I did?"

Lois scrunched her forehead, trying to figure out where that question had come from. "You're kidding right?" It may have been a unique trait to have in the family, but it wasn't like Lois was new to the world of weird and unexplained. "You remember that my boyfriend is the Blur, right?"

Chloe genuinely chuckled at that. "I'm sorry, it's just that..."

Chloe's thought process was interrupted by hearing the door getting unlocked and upon seeing it open, her mouth gaped open as she saw who was on the other side. "Oliver."

"You know what? I forgot that Clark and I are meeting for lunch." Lois quickly got up from her seat, gave Oliver a quick _You owe me_ glare before switching places with Oliver to stand in the doorway, pausing to add, "For the record cuz, it had _nothing_ to do with that."

Chloe smiled, as she got confirmation from two people, but she swallowed hard as her eyes found Oliver's. She knew better than to doubt what they had, but to Chloe, doubting herself was almost second nature. "How did you...?"

"Evie stopped by, gave me her key." Oliver slid the key on the table, but his stare never Chloe, as he noticed the nerves in her entire body, the slight shake of her head as she processed his words.

"She didn't..."

"All she told me was that if there was something to tell, that I tell you myself... the key was given to make things easier." Looking down at his hand which still held the key on the table, he clicked his tongue a single time before adding, "How could you possibly think that you healing her would change things?"

"Ollie..."

Taking two powerful strides towards Chloe, he picked her off the chair she was sitting in, pulling her towards him to kiss her.

Chloe couldn't believe the desperation in his movements, his hands clutching her arms, holding on as if his life depended on it, his mouth refusing to let go of hers. There was enough fear inside of her that she wanted to hold back, to not return the favour, but it didn't last long, as Chloe gave in, her hands rotating to grasp his arms.

He lifted her up to the table and finally let her go, but not moving too far back. "I love you damn it," he whispered, almost making the crass reaffirmation sound loving. Matting his forehead against hers, Chloe watched his eyes close. "I refuse to lose you, whether it's Lex or your own worst enemy, yourself."

"Ollie, you know that I love you too, but... I could be dangerous. We don't know what I can do."

With a smirk, Oliver backed away, heading towards the window. "You heal people, and it's fitting." He promptly closed the blinds and then turned back to her. "For years, you pick people up at their lowest points and you show them their value." Gently holding the back of her head with his hands, Oliver flashed his confident smile at her. "Now it's my turn."

After that, the only words she heard from him was _I love you_, as he worked from the top of her head, the tip of her nose, and he kissed her lips twice so he was sure that Chloe got the message. When he saw her finally smiling, Chloe felt his hands trace the outline of her body, stopping at the trim of her tank top.

Her breath hitched as he lifted it over her head, admiring her upper body on display for him, but it didn't last long as he moved towards her lounge pants, but Chloe placed her hands over his, stopping his progress.

"Not that I'm complaining," Chloe said, biting her lip gently, "but I don't think this falls under my methods."

Moving one of his hands to tip her head up so he could look into her eyes. "I figure I'll stick to my strengths." Narrowing his eyes, his forehead collided with hers, lips inches from each other. "Drive the point home, literally and figuratively," he sensually whispered.

"But it's eleven in the morning."

"So what?" The way Oliver saw it, he had spent enough time away from Chloe as it was, and the situation couldn't be much better than this. "Your roommate is voluntarily making herself scarce and my calendar is _very_ open today."

She wanted him, that much was apparent by how wet she knew she already was, but despite the current situation, Chloe held onto what was left in her resolve, and leaned back. "Ollie you don't have to do this."

But before she could do anything, Oliver's warm hand met her naked back, pushing her forward. "I told you... I _always_ finish what I start."

"In that case..." Chloe said, her mind made up, "you have some catching up to do."

Within seconds, her fingers curled to slide off the black leather jacket he was wearing which reminded her of a particular point of her conversation her former so-called friend. But she didn't want to think about that right now. All Chloe wanted was the man who loved her, no matter what stupid excuse she came up with for him not to.

* * *

><p><em><strong>October 6<strong>_

Walking into Marnie's office almost felt ominous. She had watched her husband pick up what was left of Marnie's things and the man was barely holding onto his emotions, despite his strong face. Now, it was an empty room, and Chloe couldn't help but feel guilty. She had no proof to think that way, but this whole thing with Lex, Tess... Chloe couldn't shake it.

"It is a nice office, and it's good that you're getting used to it already." Spinning around, Chloe found Tess standing in the doorway, her smirk fully in place.

Taking her hands off the desk, Chloe's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

Tess took a couple steps towards Chloe, the noise made from her heels echoing throughout the room. "We don't have the time to recruit someone new... the job's yours if you want it."

Chloe furrowed her eyebrows as the redhead got closer. "A little disrespectful, don't you think?"

Now beside Chloe, Tess peered towards her and shrugged. "The show must go on Chloe."

Feeling absolute shock in her emotionless way Tess delivered that line, Chloe listened as Tess walked behind her, likely stopping at the view the office had to offer, but Chloe remained facing the door as she said her next words. "You know what he did Tess... how can you say that?"

Fingers curling to make a fist in each hand, Tess felt her head drop. "I have no choice."

Understandingly, Chloe was skeptical, and said through gritted teeth. "That's the best you have?" She knew Lex was alive, she knew where he was, and Tess just sat there, she let him make decisions like this.

Hearing that tone, Tess scoffed. "You don't know what I've gone through Chloe, so please…" Turning, she found the blonde in front of her, which didn't surprise her, so Tess stared straight into Chloe's eyes, making sure she got the message. "Don't pretend to think you understand me."

Walking around Chloe, Tess stopped in the doorway, her back towards the office. "Do you want the job or not?"

For a minute, there was a pause, but eventually Chloe responded, "I'll take it."

If she didn't, Lex would find a lackey, someone to cover up the truth. The job itself wasn't much, and Chloe knew that she'd be censored quite a bit, but it was better than tailoring to a spin doctor they found to replace Marnie.

"Great," Tess replied, "I expect final drafts in my office by 4pm sharp." Once again, the noise from Tess' heels filled the air, leaving Chloe alone in the… _her_… new office.

Sitting down in the desk, Chloe sighed. Was this really what she spent all these years working towards? This was supposed to be her dream, but not at all how she wanted it. First with Lex buying the Planet, then finding out Tess was her boss, and now her mentor... dead. It was wrong, twisted, but Chloe should have expected something like this. Nothing good ever came easy.

~**0~**

"Mr. Luthor... the footage you wanted."

A simple smirk of satisfaction was all the guard needed to know his work was done, leaving Lex alone. Staring at the videotape, he knew it wasn't much. It wasn't the ideal situation to be without his own company and with the information of multiple 33.1 facilities in the hands of the enemy, but it would have to do for now. Even in failure, Lex believed in focusing on the positives, and that was video evidence of the infamous Impulse.

But it wasn't just that, as Lex stared at the screen ahead of him, watching as his men were taken down by two people. He watched the female get shot, but there was something about her that struck a chord with Lex. What she was doing, he had never seen a human do these things, and he had an idea who it was.

"Looks like you were right all along Dad."

Pulling out a file folder from his desk, Lex smirked at the name.

_Emily Hopkins._

The name had popped up in the 33.1 research, but a traitorous doctor had erased much on her existence, but Lex had heard rumours how underneath a scared, yet defiant shell of a girl, there was an incredible power, just waiting to be unleashed. Watching the footage leading to this mysterious women being shot led Lex to believe that she was alive after all this time.

It really was a shame if she was dead, as he had been hoping to find her alive, to have her back in his possession, but seeing her come to Chloe's rescue had placed a new breadcrumb in Lex's direction. Heroes really seem to flock to Chloe Sullivan and she seemed to be the key piece no matter where he looked.

Lex admired Chloe's strength, her overall perseverance for the truth, if it led him into some sticky situations. Her determined reaction seeing him there, it showed Lex that he never had a chance of convincing her of being anything other than he was. Which worked for him, as her devotion to Queen already put them on opposite sides.

He never really knew what a woman like Chloe saw in a schoolyard bully like Oliver, but Lex had to admit, Oliver's image had definitely taken a better tone since the holiday season of the previous year. Less partying, less women, and instead, he was in the business section. But with Queen, there was always an angle, and Lex was determined to figure out what exactly that angle was.

* * *

><p><em>Stay Tuned for Part 3<em>


	7. October part 3

_**October 7**_

It wasn't the best couch in the world, but for now, it suited Evie's needs. She had dealt with cold, hard floors, hand tied behind her back, stress positions, shackles, ropes, name it, she had it at least for one night. So at this point in her life, even carpet and a pillow would have sufficed.

She couldn't face... anyone right now. It wasn't her fault, for once it wasn't her fault, but it wasn't enough. Seeing what happened, it shook her, and she didn't want to deal with it. Even though she had been Chloe's guidance through everything, Evie herself couldn't fully process everything that was going through her head. Thankfully, Angie, a co-worker at Metro had a family emergency, so Evie jumped at the chance to work more shifts. It meant that she was away from it, a distraction from the reality of everything that had happened just last week.

Sure, she 'celebrated' Chloe's promotion, did the rounds as necessary, but actual contact and conversation was a minimum at best. But what Evie couldn't explain as to why of all places she'd come here for refuge. Everyone had a key to the place, but more importantly, she died here.

She did die, even if it was momentary, the blood on the floor was still slightly visible, even though Bart had scrubbed like crazy since he dropped Chloe off at Watchtower. The role reversal caught him off-guard too, but he did it all. Scrubbing the floors, even getting Evie a spare set of clothes.

He really was scared that he almost lost her, and she couldn't blame him. To him, she was the last member of the family who actually talked to him, as only Evie saw the true potential of her younger cousin.

In fact, Bart was the only one who knew that she was here. He minded her privacy, other than bonding over his lunch break at QI, a job he took very seriously as he had been previously canned quickly at his last couple of jobs. Other than that, he knew her enough that prying wasn't going to work.

Her phone buzzing brought her back to reality, a really dumb one in her books, but the more she saw her friends, the more the guilt loomed over her, the fact that her decision to fight could cost her one of them.

Sure enough, it was Chloe calling her, and it hurt Evie to press the ignore button, but she honestly didn't feel like talking. Not right now. She turned around, only to find that fate had different plans, as someone stood over the blood outline.

"What are you doing here?"

Victor scoffed at her off-put greeting. "You've been quiet lately... too quiet. And it doesn't take a genius to figure out you're avoiding us."

She rolled her eyes as she tapped her phone in her hand, knowing that her case was made the moment she hung up. "I've been working non-stop, there's no crime against that is there?"

"Evie, someone shot you."

He didn't have to tell her that, that fact was something Evie knew too well. All the things she had gone through, getting shot hadn't been one of them. Holding her index finger over the fingers on her other hand, Evie prepared to count the other things that had happened to her. "And someone injected needles into me and tortured me and treated me like a test subject." With a casual shrug, Evie tried to convince him that he didn't need to worry about her. "Getting shot was a lot better than most of that."

Victor stood up, not buying her excuses for a second. "Torture furthered your resolve, made you stronger. As much as I hate to say it, 33.1 helped make you who you are."

Her eyebrows raised at that comment. "You're saying that I owe LuthorCorp a Christmas card?"

"No, but I'm showing you the difference. I thought... giving up was my M.O."

He watched her eyes widen, but they both knew it was the truth. Back in the day, Victor's resolve was pretty minimal. After all, he was supposed to be dead. So anything he did after being brought back to life as a machine Victor figured was not of his own volition. For months, he believed that he was nothing more than a machine. But not Evie.

_You're more than that. You have memories, real memories, Victor. Look, I know I don't know you, and I'm probably just a silly girl to you, but you're no less human than me. That's why you have to keep going, fight for a real second chance, because this isn't it._

She had never seen his face, only heard his voice, likely telling her to shut up, and yet she believed in Victor more than he did. Evie told him later that believing in other people was what kept her going, because to her, all the victims of 33.1 were her equals after she had pushed aside by her family. The truth was that Evie was stronger than most, even if it was in the most irrational terms.

Months of constant yelling, telling their captors that they'd never receive the satisfaction they wanted, and she could die happy knowing that she resisted everything. Evie received the brunt of the pain in the old Smallville facility, as Issac and Victor sat by, astonished by this girl, who had lost everything, fighting on.

_If I lost everything, that doesn't mean I can't get it back._

But that didn't mean that Evie's strength didn't come with vulnerability, and Victor had seen plenty of days where she looked just like she did now. It was those days that the guys had to remind her of her own strength, but something told him that convincing Evie to pick herself up was going to take a little more than it did back then.

Plenty had happened, between the safehouse fire, the realization that a normal life was never going to be hers, and now this, Evie put plenty on her shoulders and the weight was starting to show through.

Evie fell on the couch, leaning her head back to stare at the ceiling, almost feeling lost. Victor knew her enough, knew when she was lying, but it was happening more and more these days, and Evie was tired of it. She liked being the rock in people's lives, not the girl bringing everyone down. That phase, she thought, was truly over, but Chloe healing her... it allowed her to understand Victor's mentality all those years ago.

She felt the cushion next to her sink down, but she didn't want to look at Victor, not at that moment.

But that didn't stop him from talking. "I talked to Chloe, she said you told her that it was better if you died." He had been by to check on both women, and aside from the odd sigh, Chloe seemed okay, but five times Victor had caught her staring at her phone, waiting for Evie to call back, give her more than a three-word text. "She's getting worried."

Evie continued to look away from him, really not wanting to talk about this. "She doesn't have to be."

Victor never expected Evie to believe that he'd accept that flimsy comment, so he reached his arm forward, trying desperately to get her attention. "Evie, _I'm_ starting to get worried."

Feeling the tips of his fingers collide with the back of her hand sent shivers throughout Evie's body, but she kept her poker face in place otherwise. "There's no need. I'm fine."

"Really?" Victor asked, voice clearly raised in frustration. "That's what you call sitting next to Watchtower's double doors for six hours with your knees pressed to your chest?"

Realizing that he must have talked to Emil as well, Evie bit her lip, as it was the only thing holding back the tears at this point. Victor had been oddly absent during the whole time, and it wasn't until Oliver told her that he was doing damage control that she understood why. But what he was doing right now, he didn't have to be here. He didn't have to care like this. "This is _none _of your business."

Victor jerked back upon hearing that tone, so he stood again, giving her the space she needed. "It wasn't your business to track me down after 33.1. You didn't have to send Oliver and AC in the right direction."

"But..." Evie shook her head, knowing that he knew the truth, and she owed him the same. "Victor, you saved my life... I wasn't about to allow you to live like that."

"And I'm not going to stand by and watch you isolate yourself when you have friends who give a damn." He cleared his throat before kneeling down in front of her, just trying to see what was going on in her head. "You're not starting to regret coming clean are you?"

She wanted to look at him, but instead, her gaze stayed on her lap, as she honestly answered his question, "I always thought that being honest would make things easier."

"It will, trust me."

"Victor, this wasn't even my fault and I'm starting to crumble." She threaded her fingers through her hair, squeezing her eyes shut as she added, "What happens if Lex finds out I didn't exactly die? What if it's my fault someone else dies?"

"It's never been your fault... _ever_. The quicker you realize that, the better."

"Then whose is it?"

"That doesn't matter."

"Sure it does," Evie replied with an air of defeat in her words.

"Not when you carry guilt around like you do. Any load off your shoulders allows you to actually live."

Evie took a hard breath in and then finally lifted her head up. "You really believe in me that much?"

"You make it hard not to, seeing how far you've come." Victor dared a smile in her direction. "Do you remember the person you were when we met?"

Did she ever. The first while she spent in 33.1 was spent begging and pleading, telling everyone that it was a big misunderstanding. Eventually Victor snapped, and asked her why she would even bother thinking she was ever getting out. That's when she finally became rational, telling him something she never forgot.

_Because living like you do isn't healthy._

She didn't mean anything by it, but it escaped her before she had a chance to take it back. Of course, she did mean it. The guys just figured they'd lean back and take it, and even if Evie acted like an eight-year-old for her first month in 33.1, at least she was fighting it. However, in hindsight, Evie knew that she had to be pretty insufferable back then.

"How did you ever deal with me back then?"

When Victor noticed a hint of the smile on her face, he shrugged, hoping that conversation was heading in the right direction. "Didn't have much of a choice."

Evie scoffed. "Right."

"But that doesn't mean that it wasn't worth it in the end." Victor stood up and walked away from her, thinking that would be enough for now, but he stopped upon seeing her phone buzzing, Oliver this time. Picking it up, Victor smirked as the call went to voicemail, only to pick up again, the caller ID showing Lois' _Daily Planet _number. "You're always pointing out the lives you destroyed or ended, but you've done plenty of unacknowledged hero work too."

Turning around, Victor looked through the caller log, seeing all the calls Evie had been ignoring over the past couple of days. Seeing Bart's name, Victor turned towards the blood stain on the floor. He remembered the panic in the other man's voice, for as fast as he could do chores, he did this in normal time. It had been just the two of them, as Victor tried to erase the security footage outside of Watchtower because there was enough going on there as it was. Even though Victor could only erase part of the footage, he was glad to be there for Bart, as he much more shaken up than he let on in front of everyone else.

"I seem to know a particular co-worker of mine would be lost without his cousin." Looking back at her, Victor threw the phone towards Evie. It was a bad throw, but Evie pulled it towards her, catching it with her left hand once it got close enough. He watched her close out the call list, swallow hard as she put it beside her. "Chloe needed a friend who understood when to talk and when to listen; Oliver needed someone to call him on his bullshit."

"I'm sure they would have been just fine with Lois."

"Maybe, but I wouldn't have." He stared down at himself, the body part-man, part-machine, but Evie never saw him that way. To her, Victor was always worth saving, no matter what she risked. "You were supposed to leave me behind, start a new life." In a way, both knew that she did, and it had taken Victor a while to narrow down her alias, but when he did, Victor was surprised at how close to his life she still was, regardless of whether or not it was her intention to have it that way. "But you kept tabs in your way, in the shadows, expecting no credit, even when I knew it was you feeding our intel."

Victor had thought about sending a message, telling her thanks, or _something_, but he always held back. "I thought about reaching out, but I had no idea what to say to you." Even when he knew where she was, Victor maintained the status quo, not wanting to risk her safety. "Finally seeing you at that cafe on Chloe's birthday... you seemed happy, and I didn't want to complicate things."

Evie shook her head, never realizing that he had come that night, only to turn away because of her. It was his unselfish nature, she knew that, but she would have given anything to at least have seen him for a second. "You caught a good moment; life wasn't exactly great at that time."

Victor knew that, as he quickly found out about her mother, and her subsequent break-up. "But you still found a reason to push on."

He was right, she had pushed on. It was because she had other people that needed her, it was because her life had been worse, but more than anything, it was, "Because I was still alive."

There was a moment of silence between the two before Victor replied, "Exactly."

* * *

><p><em><strong>October 9<strong>_

Chloe paused before opening the doors to Watchtower. She hadn't been here since she died, and part of her still didn't believe that it happened, and while it didn't change her life per say, the fact of how she entered here last time plagued here.

She'd do it again in a heartbeat, but Chloe didn't understand how it happened, that's probably what scared her the most. But she hoped that she'd never have to use it again.

Pushing the door open, Chloe walked in, everyone doing their own thing inside. She had insisted that she was fine, so everyone learned not to consistently make sure that she was okay.

Heading over to the main console, Chloe stood next to Evie. "I've been hoping to talk to you... but you've been radio silence."

Evie stopped her typing, ready to apologize for her recent absentness. "I'm sorry; I had some... unresolved issues." She nodded a single time, and her grin widened slightly. "I'm okay now."

Chloe smiled, grateful for those words. "Well...I never really thanked you for saving me."

Evie chuckled, asking sarcastically. "Did I?"

"Sure, but I'm curious. How did you and Bart handle this op by yourselves?"

"Security detail was pretty lax as they were expecting company a little later in the day." Evie looked over at Bart and Oliver, who were being filled in by Victor about the details they had uncovered. "After hacking into their security feed, Bart scouted the place, taking care of the guards, while also finding your location."

"Unfortunately, there was a little... _hiccup_ in the process of Bart coming to get you, hence how the guard got involved." Evie thought she had found a blind spot on watchguard protocol, but she got caught before she could complete the time lapse on her camera work, because she had to knock one guard unconscious, and use the other one to convince the other guards to hold back. "Eventually my camera work was all for nought and we had to resort to... other techniques. It's what I get for doing what I did."

Chloe sensed the defeat in her friend's voice, and she looked over to the guys, smiling at Oliver as he caught her gaze. "Oliver's forgiven you, you know that."

"I still could have tried harder convincing him that his plan was flawed, but... but I gave up on the first opportunity I had people to help me." Evie smiled genuinely though, trying to convince Chloe that she was ready to move forward. "Lesson learned, right?"

"Right," Chloe replied, looking to the screen, trying to figure out what Evie was analyzing. "Any signs of Lex?"

Evie frowned. "Any clues we had on his location are gone now."

Confused, Chloe took her eyes off the screen. "Why would he reveal himself to me and then just go off the grid?"

"He's waiting for something else, he has to be." Evie shrugged as she gestured for the guys to join them. "Maybe he really does want the company back."

"Regardless," Victor interjected, "the decryption on the 33.1 server has doubled since Chloe came back." Tossing the original thumb drive to Chloe, he added, "We don't have much hope in getting more intelligence than we already have."

Chloe caught the drive with ease, but she looked back up at Victor, wanting more answers. "What do you mean?"

Victor nodded before pointing to the drive in her hand. "Watchtower finished decrypting that the night you were taken. Evie and I have taken some time, figured out the logistics of most of the files."

"And?"

Evie turned back to the console, went back a couple files, showing everyone the extent of the information it held. "Most of the folders overlap with 33.1 subjects and sites, including details about the sites you guys have already destroyed."

"The thing is... we can't link Lex to any of this," Victor explained. "Which means he would have Tess report that paperwork was forged, the footage altered. The story would have died before it got to press."

Oliver jumped in, asking a question on everyone's minds. "So why take Marnie if there was no threat?"

"From what Vic-man said, there's hundreds of files on here... between the sites, the subjects and people of interest." Bart zipped next to Evie, looking through all the names before turning back, "Maybe the accumulation was enough."

"Back up a second." All eyes turned to Chloe, who wasn't convinced that was the reason. "Marnie was an old-school detective, dark alleys, blind corners, phone conversations... not hacking." Moving Bart aside, Chloe began to file through the information, knowing the impossibility of someone like Marnie finding this. "There is no way she could create this kind of decryption or get into the databases we're talking about here."

"That's because she didn't compile this," Evie said, taking back the mouse, scanning through files, freezing only momentarily upon seeing a file with her former name on it, a detail they had decided to neglect mentioning, before clicking on another folder to hide it. "Chloe, you know yourself that Watchtower couldn't completely crack into Lex's 33.1 mainframe. My theory was that this was not to convict Lex, only scare him."

"What makes you so sure?"

Looking at Victor, who just shrugged, Evie continued with her idea. "Because Marnie wasn't the intended receiver of the thumb drive, just the messenger." She knew it was a stretch, but it was the only rational thing she could come up with. "Like we've acknowledged, a story wouldn't do anything, but Marnie had access to someone who could do something."

Seeing Evie look at her promptly after that statement, Chloe blinked. "Me?"

Evie nodded. "It's clear Lex thinks you're some sort of value in the hero world, it wouldn't surprise me if someone tried to use that against him. Unfortunately, the only writer who would take this information seriously with enough credibility with the _Daily Planet _was Marnie, which meant once the threat was made... it didn't take Lex long to figure it out."

"We're just lucky that Marnie got this to you in time," Victor added.

Chloe shook her head, the pieces not quite fitting together. "Who though... who would threaten Lex with this?"

Again, Evie was the one with her answer. "I'm almost positive that this has Tess Mercer written all over it."

That comment was met with a chorus of, "What?"

Evie smirked momentarily and then explained herself. "They work together, so little suspicion in regards to anyone keeping an eye on Tess, because she couldn't address Chloe directly with this."

Turning around, Evie pulled open a drawer. "The number on your cell... the one you called before you were taken, it was a burner phone bought with cash, but also the last number Marnie called, and the source that gave me your proof of life." Finally finding the call log she had researched once receiving the photo, Evie handed it to Chloe, knowing the highlighted numbers would prove her point. "I know it sounds farfetched, but Tess is one of the few who knew Lex was alive to threaten, and the phone switching hands proves that he got wise to her plans."

"So Tess Mercer?" Bart said skeptically. "Head of LuthorCorp Tess Mercer is behind this?"

"Her stance in all this is a lot more complicated than you think." Evie still remembered the expression on her face upon finding the adoption papers, hidden extremely well, but it explained a lot. Lex played the family card, inviting Tess into her long-lost family before using her for his plan.

But Evie couldn't tell them that, even though Tess was nothing more than a shade of grey. "Lex has been playing her and even though she's technically on our side, she can't completely show her hand. First... she has to find a way out of his clutches."

Oliver narrowed his eyes, trying to understand what that meant. "Care to clarify a little?"

Evie told them what she could. "Before his tragic so-called demise, Lex secretly installed cameras into her optic nerve. One of my final hacks caught the email conversation between Lex and the doctor and I forwarded them onto her... showing her the monster Lex really is." Glancing over to Oliver, Evie added, "Hence your merger."

She took a deep breath before explaining the rest. "Through some careful work by Emil and I, we were able to get them out, but it wasn't the only thing we found. Apparently, Lex implanted a kill chip in her neck, probably as a warning. We were able to get it out, but I have reason to believe that Lex found out and put another one in."

"The last part is all speculation," Victor interjected, knowing they didn't have proof for it.

Giving Victor a discrete glare, Evie pressed on. "Tess disappeared the day after you got back... Lex being onto her is the only explanation that makes sense. If I'm right, and I think I am, I can't risk taking it out without getting on Lex's radar, so for now, she really has no choice."

After that, it was pure silence, but Chloe finally looked up from the phone records in complete disbelief to answer. "We had no idea."

Evie nodded, realizing how much this was to take in. "Tess is as much of a victim in all this. Like I said, she plays that fine line well, because it's the only thing that keeps her alive."

With that, Bart made sure everything was okay before jetting out to grab some food somewhere, but Chloe was stuck on the conversation she had with the redhead earlier this week.

_Don't pretend to think you understand me._

"You weren't kidding Tess," she whispered, only catching Oliver's attention, but he would talk to Chloe about that later.

He looked over the folders on the main screen. "What should we do with this?"

Evie moved aside so Oliver could look through them. "It has information for ten additional 33.1 sites. I think the least you guys can do is shut them down. Something tells me that I should lay low for a least a little while."

**~0~**

When Chloe and Oliver were satisfied with looking the intelligence, they bid Evie and Victor goodnight, leaving them alone in Watchtower to close up.

"You checked out your file yet?" Victor asked, watching the doors close behind the two blondes.

Evie shook her head as she approached the screen again, a folder entitled by her former name the only thing in her eyesight as she hovered the mouse over it. Pausing before clicking on it, Victor said quietly, "I'll give you some time," as he turned to leave the room.

After hearing the door close, Evie took a peek over her shoulder. Victor knew plenty about Evie, but this was something she had to witness alone.

Finally gaining the courage to look at what remained of her existence in 33.1, Evie discovered most of this was from Lionel's private server, which meant it hadn't been wiped when Dr. Lee attempted to erase her from 33.1. It wasn't much, a few details here and there, but there was one document that caught her eyes. It was a comparison document, and as she opened it, she analyzed it, the differences between her and another victim of LuthorCorp.

Lionel Luthor had only compared her to one other so-called meteor freak and that was a long time ago.

Unlike Evie, she had given herself up to save herself and her family, and while 33.1 harvested abilities, she was there because she wanted her ability to be taken out. After she saved Lionel's life, the elder Luthor had isolated her in a particular facility that only one doctor knew about. She was the exception, maybe even the sign of the heart Lionel possibly had. Yet, the irony was that she was probably one of the stronger people with abilities Evie had ever seen.

It was true that Evie could control everyone, but there was a limit. This woman, her only limit was that she needed something that belonged to the person. A long time ago, Evie gave this woman a hair pin of hers, as a memento of their time together, and as a hope they could help each other out one day. Years had passed, but Evie never forgot her name.

_Moira._

Last names in 33.1 were pointless, as to the guards you were just a number. Yet it appears that Lex was just as interested in finding Moira as he was in finding her. Various amounts of research, but after he murdered Lionel, the trail was cold, which meant Moira was still undiscovered so far.

"Please be safe," Evie whispered, almost doubtful of her words.

* * *

><p><em><strong>October 17<strong>_

_Finally_, Lois thought as she entered the place they called Watchtower. For weeks, she had been wanting to come back, but without a passcode or whatever, she had no hope. But when the guys decided to get out of the city, Evie proposed a girl's night in, and Lois wasn't one to hesitate on the offer.

Of course, that didn't mean that Lois didn't want to double check. "So, it's just us tonight?"

Chloe nodded as she turned on the lights. "Clark's running the patrols while the guys handle a mission in Rio." Turning towards Evie, she asked, "How excited was Bart for the trip?"

Evie laughed, knowing the grin on Bart's face when she stopped by the apartment to make sure he had everything. "He got there before the plane took off, what do you think?"

Setting her purse down by the main console, Chloe turned her head over her shoulder. "It's a bummer you couldn't go."

Evie tilted her head in acknowledgment, as part of her wished she could go, but she knew staying behind was for the best. "Yeah, well...when Lex thinks you're dead, it's actually best to keep it that way."

"You know," Lois said as she stepped in front of Evie, "you still owe me an explanation for whatever it is you can do."

"I do, I know." But she didn't want to get into it right now, as Evie genuinely wanted a fun, light night for the three of them. "Can it wait?"

Lois considered it for a second, but instead she proposed what she considered was a compromise. "At least tell me what you can do."

"Because the wait is driving you insane?" Evie supplied, knowing that, "It's the mental thought you added."

Lois' eyes widened, and while she wanted to know more, she figured it'd do for now. "So what are we watching?"

Evie shrugged as the three girls deliberated. "Don't look at me, if we had it my way, we'd be watching the Hawks-Wings game, but I know you two aren't really hockey fans."

"Football, maybe," Lois replied.

"My second love, but it's not nearly as strong."

"Really?" Lois asked with widened eyes and an air of skepticism. "The biggest loves in your life are sports?"

Finally dropping her bag down, Evie laughed. "There's something wrong with that?" Peering up, Evie realized from the looks she was getting that apparently it was. "I'm sorry ladies, not everyone has your relationship status."

"Which is exactly why I thought we should have gone out tonight, legitimately."

Evie rolled her eyes as she worked through her bag to pull out the snacks. "Chloe's a recognizable figure in the community between her own reputation and being Oliver's girlfriend, we'd never get any peace."

"All the more reason, you'd get best friend dibs," Lois fired back.

Evie furrowed her eyebrows. "I think Chloe's best friend is Clark."

"You know what I mean."

She did, and it was why Evie stopped playing around. "I have enough to figure out without dredging a guy in my life. Besides; I'm not a one-night-only kind of girl."

Looking around Watchtower, an idea struck Lois. "Could date a teammate."

"No," Evie said immediately.

"There," Chloe interjected calmly. "Lois I think Evie's made her point."

"Fine!" Lois said, sounding completely unconvinced. "I'll get the popcorn ready."

Evie silently thanked Chloe as the blonde walked over in her direction. "I think you're her new project."

"God, I hope not," Evie replied. "Trust me, the last thing I'm looking for is a relationship."


	8. November part 1

**November**

_**November 19**_

That patrol could have gone smoother, not that Oliver minded getting patched up by Chloe. They would always lightly banter about her taking care of him, with him usually inserting a sexy nurse jab, but it was all in light fun, especially in this case. His injuries weren't too bad, just some cuts and scrapes on his arm and a small gash on his chest. Except now when Oliver moved his arm, he didn't feel any discomfort.

"Chloe?" he called out, knowing she wasn't right beside him, as she was putting away the first aid kit.

"Yeah?"

Oliver started to lift some of the bandages, only to see the skin completely healed. "I…did you...?" There were marks on his arm, Oliver was sure of it. This had to mean that Chloe had a change of heart when it came to her ability, which was fine with him, so he held back his question. Or at least, he did until he remembered something.

Chloe was precise when she was tending his wounds, but a couple times, he had felt her fingers twitch against his skin, and he heard a sharp hiss come from her mouth once. It was quiet, as she was likely trying not to show him that she was in pain. That was something Oliver couldn't ignore. "My arm... was that the reason you tensed earlier?"

Chloe looked at him as her mouth opened, not really wanting to answer that question. She knew what he was insinuating and she wanted to say _No_, but she knew Oliver would see right through it. "Maybe." She had tried to be careful, as she was even experimenting on the smaller wounds that Oliver had, but he was always too clever. Chloe should have known that he would figure it out.

Oliver got off the table where she was tending to him and approached her slowly. "Look, I know I said I was supportive of this... and that's still true, but you have to be careful."

She nodded, but stated nonetheless with conviction, "I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?"

That question caught Chloe off-guard. Why was he questioning her? Oliver knew her enough to know she didn't just jump into anything without a plan. "I can't just sit by now that I have this. I have to figure out the extent of my ability."

Except Chloe's reaction wasn't what he was expecting. He just wanted to double-check; because her ability wasn't exactly something they talked about often. A simple yes or no would have sufficed, but Chloe took a defensive stance, speaking words that reminded Oliver of the last time he had witnessed the consequences of her ability. He peered back towards the couch where he had spent hours waiting for a sign Chloe was still alive. Oliver didn't like sitting back, not having an answer, but that was the action he was forced to take in that situation, a situation he really didn't want to have to experience again.

Chloe hadn't missed the subtle glance, and she felt herself swallow hard in response, anticipating the question Oliver would ask this time. "But what if you don't wake up next time?"

She took a single step, her eyes somewhere on the floor as she answered him. "It's dangerous, I know, but maybe if I can hone it... I can make a difference."

"You don't think you make a difference now?" Oliver asked, his voice raised as he couldn't believe Chloe could possibly think otherwise. The work she had done to help his life, and almost every person around him, Oliver couldn't understand how Chloe could still doubt that about herself.

But Chloe didn't back down as her eyes perked up. "If you could do more, wouldn't you?" When Oliver's expression pretty much confirmed her point, Chloe gave out a frustrated sigh. "Exactly, you can't make rules for me that you wouldn't keep yourself." She closed her eyes as she exhaled. "Things will happen to me, Oliver, but you know more than anyone that I can take care of myself."

"Like you did with Lex?" He had said it with the best intentions, but watching Chloe's expression break, Oliver realized how low of a blow that was. "You know what I mean...what if he finds out about this?"

He tried to cover it up, Chloe gave him credit for that, but what he had said still stung. "I could ask you the same thing." She knew the anger building inside her would only make things worse, so Chloe took a second, trying not to let this whole thing get out of hand. "Look, I trust you, that's why I support Green Arrow wholeheartedly, but it took almost losing me for you to even give me Watchtower. And now…"

"You don't think I trust you?" Oliver suggested, unsure of what else she could possibly mean, no matter how false that sentiment was.

"I do think you trust me," Chloe corrected him. "But," she started, trying to find a proper way to say what she wanted, but seeing the way he was looking at her caused all words to go away. She had scared him, and the single word alone probably put doubts in his mind. Instead, all Chloe could do was shake her head. "Forget it."

Seeing Chloe turn away, Oliver reached out to stop her, but his arm narrowly missed. "Chloe, wait..."

Hearing his voice, Chloe whirled around and blurted, "There is a chance I could die from this, we don't know." She was surprised by how quickly the words came, so Chloe paused again, taking a couple breaths to calm herself down. "But there's a chance you could get shot and... and I refuse to stand back and watch you die."

She closed her eyes, reminded of how she saw Oliver bleeding in the alley, how much it froze her to see him lying there, how much it scared her that Chloe didn't immediately have an answer. Sure, he was fine now, but Chloe never wanted to watch him like that again. "But for now, we're both fine, so please..." her voice trailed as she watched Oliver approach her again, "let me at least figure this out."

"Come here," he said, pulling her towards his chest, wrapping his arms around her. Turning his head, he kissed her neck lightly, whispering in her ear, "Only as a last resort." He hated giving Chloe that much, but she was right, the more they knew about it, the more she could control it. That didn't mean he wanted her to overdo it, but Chloe had been nothing but supportive through everything; it was his turn. "I can deal with a couple stitches if it means that you're okay."

Chloe managed the tiniest of smiles, as she stared ahead at his shirt, her fingers gripping the material. "I can work with that."

* * *

><p><em><strong>November 27<strong>_

Stepping out of the elevator, Victor gave AC a quick wave, as he was clearly on the phone with someone, to head to the kitchen. Oliver was close to packing up things for the day, but he told Victor that he could take off early, check and see how things were going for dinner.

Most places were closed on Thanksgiving, but the news never slept, which meant the _Daily Planet _crew were still at work, and Oliver gave double-time to anyone who wanted to work a few extra hours. To Victor, that was more than worth it.

However, Evie had taken the day off, so she had been put in charge of cooking dinner, and to his surprise, the kitchen wasn't in complete disarray, even if the chef seemed to be that way. Within a few minutes, she had zipped from one side of the kitchen to the other, the fridge to the stove, a path that almost seemed calculated.

Almost.

But Victor realized the last thing she needed was an interruption, so he turned to leave when her voice entered her ears.

"The least you can do is say hello, you know." As Victor turned back, he noticed Evie had stopped moving, a smile on her face.

"You looked pre-occupied," Victor rationalized. "So I was just going to check out the pre-game for the Lions game tonight. They're actually good this year."

He was teasing her, so Evie knew she probably should have let that subtle jab go, but she didn't. "Shut up," she said lightly as she returned to the stove to check on the potatoes.

However, instead of leaving the kitchen, Victor stepped inside, leaning against the counter. "You miss your partner in crime?"

"I love Chloe, but no." Evie chuckled at the dessert making fiasco of the last couple of days. "She can do plenty of things, but cooking... not so much." Between a burnt pie and a certain substitution of salt and sugar, there was no way Evie or Oliver was letting Chloe near the dinner. "I'm afraid, you have to suffer through my cooking tonight. I'm nowhere as good as our resident master chef, but if I remember correctly, he's stuck at work for another twenty minutes."

Even though she doubted her skills, based on the smell, it was better than a lot of Victor's Thanksgivings. "Works for me."

Leaving the potatoes to open a drawer, Evie grinned in frustration as she searched. "I'm just flattered that Oliver trusts me with a kitchen like this, and he's got more gadgets than I've ever seen." Filtering through the insane amount of utensils in the drawers, Evie bit her tongue to keep herself from swearing. "You think you could find me a potato masher? I've gone through three drawers and I can't –"

"On the counter."

Evie stopped suddenly to look up, seeing Victor confidently holding the potato masher in his hand. "Of course. Hardest thing to find is right in front of your face." She reached out to grab it, but saw out of the corner of her eye that there was still water in the pot. "Just... put it back on the counter for now."

Victor tried holding back laughter as he watched Evie walk around the kitchen almost counting out things in her head. "So we're just about ready?"

The counting then started aloud as Evie pointed towards various appliances. "Potatoes need to be mashed, turkey needs to be cut, salads are in the fridge keeping cool, AC and Bart are setting the table... I think."

"Better question... what can I do to help?" Victor interjected, picking up the masher again.

Seeing the look on his face, Evie mouth gaped open before sighing loudly. "Sour cream from the fridge while I drain the spuds?" She ran over to turn off the potatoes before they overcooked, but just as she lifted the pot to drain it, her phone rang. Rolling her eyes, she desperately looked back at Victor. "And grab that for me?"

That time, Victor couldn't hold back his chuckle anymore, as he closed the fridge the grab the phone. "Hey Chloe."

"_Victor?"_

"Evie's phone," Victor clarified to keep her from hanging up, watching as the steam rose up first rose from the sink, and then Evie emptied the rest of the potato water into a bowl nearby. "Just... hold on a sec, her hands are full right now."

_"How stressed is she right now?" _Chloe asked, and Victor could practically hear the smile on her face. "_Has she spazzed at you yet?"_

"I can hear you," Evie yelled loud enough that even Chloe chuckled on the other end, but right afterwards, she put the pot down and grabbed the phone. Victor was still looking at her for an answer, but he wasn't going to get it. Sure, after the burnt pie, Evie admittedly lost her cool, but Evie had apologized to Chloe already, so the issue was dead. Shooing him away, Evie finally greeted her friend on the phone. "Hey Chloe, what's up?"

She could hear Chloe tapping her pen on the other side. Something was up. _"You know how we made dessert at my place in Smallville?"_

"Sure," Evie replied, her phone cradled in her ear as she began to mash the potatoes. Initially, she thought nothing of it, but suddenly she stopped mashing and rushed towards the fridge, sighing as she noticed the truth of the matter. "They're still there, aren't they?"

_"If you never picked them up, then yes. I'm stuck at work, but I can ask Clark to –"_

Evie shut the fridge door and went back to the potatoes, not wanting to leave them unfinished. "Don't worry, I've got Bart here."

"_You sure that's a good idea?"_

It was a valid question, but Evie knew it was the only way. "I'll make it work."

"_Okay," _Evie barely heard Chloe say, thanks to the rustling of paper and the bustle of the space around her,_ "See you soon."_

"Bye Chloe." Evie let go of her phone and manipulated it to land on the counter. Satisfied with her work, she put the lid on the pot and yelled, "Bart!"

With Evie in the kitchen, she knew her cousin would waste little time, and Bart didn't disappoint. "Yes cuz?"

She watched as he lifted the lid of the potatoes, but Evie slapped his hand off it as she dragged him towards the elevator. "We've got some work to do, and we have to do it quick." Turning around suddenly, she couldn't help but smile as she heard Victor laughing behind them "Do you mind holding down the fort for a couple of minutes?"

Victor nodded. "Not at all."

**~0~**

"Two pecan pies and two pumpkin pies to transfer, and no sampling or else you don't get dinner."

Bart slowly lowered his hand to peel back the plastic wrap. "Not even a little..."

Eyes widening, Evie left the fridge wide open to smack his hand away again, this time while ensuring he didn't drop the pie on the floor. "Don't mess with me cuz. I've been cooking all day."

Bart rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. Be back in a second."

Grinning, Evie took out the rest of the pies, and watched as Bart went back and forth. After the last pie, Evie walked towards the freezer to get the spare ice cream, having a feeling that they'd need it. Sure, it technically wasn't hers, but she figured Chloe would forgive her, or worst case, Evie had no problem paying her back. She headed to the main door, but she paused in the hallway as a particular photograph caught her eye.

How many times had she stood in this house and not noticed this? Evie had always chuckled about how small the world was, but this was no laughing matter. The woman had talked about her daughter, told her that she would have been similar age to Evie, and the only thing she wanted was to print the truth. Looking over to Chloe's smiling face in the photo; Evie couldn't help but feel guilty.

Evie knew her mother.

"Cuz?" Bart asked, tapping her shoulder, trying to get her attention. "You okay?"

Evie nodded, but the truth was she never heard Bart's words, only guessing that he even said something after feeling the contact. It was almost as if everything she had worked for had been turned upside down. Was she actually doing anything of her own accord? She knew what Moira could do, and all Evie could wonder was if this, all this, happened not of her own free will, or of anyone's free will for that matter.

It was the worst case scenario, and Evie hated jumping to it, but if everything that had happened had been a lie, the people in her life deserved more than that. They deserved the truth.

Passing the ice cream to Bart, Evie felt the whoosh as he went back and forth, and by the time he got back, she hadn't moved. In fact, she wasn't even entirely sure she had breathed since he had run out.

"It's a nice photo," he said, leaning over, trying to understand. However, all that running had brought up his appetite and he wasn't the most patient person in this moment. "But come on, you have to get back to the food."

"Bart," Evie finally whispered, "I need you to take me to Watchtower."

Her tone alone dropped whatever selfish thoughts Bart had in his head, as he watched his cousin place the photo back on the table. "Evie... should I be concerned right now?"

Shaking her hands out, hoping the nerves would follow, Evie tried out a smile as she turned to finally face Bart. "I just need to check something... I'm sure Victor can figure out the rest."

He crossed his arms. "That doesn't answer my question."

It didn't, but she couldn't reassure Bart confidently yet. This was one of the few secrets that her cousin wasn't a part of, and Evie couldn't risk bringing him in without checking the facts. "I'm fine."

Again, all she did was avoid the question, so Bart looked at the photo again, trying to figure out what could have changed her mood. But he listened, hoping that Evie would change her mind and confide in him.

**~0~**

All this searching was driving Evie mad. Ten minutes in Watchtower, ten minutes going through the details within the file on Moira, albeit, there were plenty of them, and nothing. Shutting her eyes, Evie felt a single tear slip, as all she wanted to believe in something more positive, but her past had taught her otherwise, no matter how many times certain events would prove her wrong.

"I wondered when you'd be back here."

She froze, not expecting any company right now. Everyone was supposed to be at Oliver's. "You knew?"

"I found the file and I thought about asking you, but seeing your reaction now... I'm glad I waited." Victor leaned against the console and pointed up at the main screen. "The information you need is the second-last folder."

Evie peered over at the screen momentarily, then back at him skeptically. "How do you know what I'm looking for?"

"Bart said your mood changed over a picture at Chloe's." The moment Bart got back to the clocktower, Victor had seen the confused look on his face. It didn't take long for Victor to pry the information from him, and once Oliver came back, he knew he had to handle this. Evie had a tendency of jumping to the worst conclusion and Victor knew he had to be there for her in case she did anything drastic. "There is a photo on file... I made the connection a while back."

As it was she was avoiding looking at him, but eventually she finally turned her head the slightest, showing the tear stain on her cheek, part of which she had tried to wipe away. Trying to maintain a strong face, Evie asked, "How is it _you _made the connection, yet I didn't?"

"Family's a touchy subject with you and Chloe." Victor didn't want it to seem like an easy answer for him, but he wanted Evie to understand that this was something she actually could afford to have overlooked. There were so many things to consider, and while this was a big deal between the two friends, he knew it was something they could work past, considering what Chloe had accepted so far. "It actually doesn't surprise me, considering how little both of you talk about your mothers."

"I suppose that's true." Evie opened her eyes again as she opened the folder he suggested, but she no longer wanted to keep searching. She honestly wished she had never made this connection.

Feeling herself break further, Victor placed his hand over the hand Evie was using to control the mouse. With enough pressure, he stopped her from scrolling down, knowing that it was not going to help her any. So instead, Victor decided to give her the answer she was looking for. "She's not controlling you."

Evie scoffed, because everything in her life hadn't been that easy to discount. This connection, the one even she never saw coming, it scared her. "How can you be so sure?"

"Past cases," Victor immediately replied, trying to find her eyes as Evie looked down at the keyboard. "There's a few files on the people Lex connected her to. They don't remember anything, and it's almost like they're in a daze."

A deep breath later, Evie lightly slammed her other palm on the console, closing her eyes. "So I'm okay? This wasn't just a big figment of everyone's imagination?"

Lifting his hand, Victor pulled her close to him, reassuring her, "You're just fine."

He wasn't the type to steer her wrong, nor had Victor done so when it mattered, so in time, Evie believed him, but it didn't help the feeling that seemed to plague Evie recently. Even Victor's arms around her did nothing to calm her down.

She always told Chloe to stop doubting things in her life, but here she was doubting everything good in her life because of a crazy coincidence. Evie hadn't even realized how tight she was clutching onto Victor's shirt until she started feeling the strain in her knuckles.

Blinking a couple times, Evie quickly let go and backed away, not entirely sure what was going on in her mind at the time, but she knew she wanted this feeling gone. She gathered the stuff she had brought, the purse she had flung across Watchtower, the coat she had left haphazardly at the entrance before turning back to face Victor.

"On a scale of not to bloodshot how red are my eyes?" She knew she had been crying at one point, but today was Thanksgiving. Evie had worked too long and hard to ruin this now.

At this point, Victor was just grateful to see her ready to move forward, so he gave her a wide smile. "They'll be fine by the time we get back."

For a second, Evie's mouth gaped open before her hand smacked the top of her head. "Oh my god... the food."

Victor watched her rush towards the elevator, practically pacing as she waited for it to come. Standing beside her, he said, "Relax, Oliver came back early."

"So everyone's waiting?" Evie asked, hoping that she was wrong.

Victor shook his head. "Dinah came in just as I was leaving…Chloe, Lois, and Clark are due to arrive soon though."

Evie was about to reply when the elevator opened, so she quickly got in, pressing the lobby button before leaning back against the back wall. Victor followed suit, standing beside her, so Evie leaned her head against his shoulder, immediately finding comfort there. Once the elevator started descending, Victor put his arm around her shoulders, squeezing her tight against his side.

Slowly finding peace within herself as the floor numbers descended, Evie whispered, "It's days like this that I wonder what I'd do without you."

"Don't worry about that," Victor immediately replied, turning his head to look at her, "I'm not going anywhere."

**~0~**

Getting back to the clocktower took a little longer than planned, as Evie remembered that they needed something else for dessert, so a line-up later, her and Victor were finally in the elevator, heading to the feast that Evie had spent all day preparing.

They waved at a couple of the people in the entryway, but Evie made a beeline for the kitchen to keep the stuff they had bought cold.

"Hey, perfect timing," Bart said, glad to see a more positive expression on his cousin's face. "The others just got here."

"Where'd you guys go?" AC asked, a valid question since he had been here the longest other than Evie.

"Whipped cream. I noticed it was messing from our very wide spread." Opening the fridge to put it inside, Evie turned to Oliver who was in the process of lifting the turkey out of the roaster. "Glad to see that the food didn't burn without me."

"Oh, ye of little faith," he replied after a single laugh, "It is my kitchen after all. Although I admit it was odd seeing you MIA when I got here...Vic must have met up with you in line right?"

Victor nodded, willing to go along with whatever cover story people were willing to buy. "After Bart dug into the other pail, I figured half a carton of ice cream wasn't enough so I picked up some more."

Bart couldn't help but let out a grin. "Sweet... literally." Evie quickly glared at Victor, surprised to hear that little tidbit, despite how little of a deal it felt now, but he just shrugged. Bart, noticing the exchange, added, "No worries _mom_. It won't ruin my appetite_._"

Hearing the light tone in her cousin's voice, Evie allowed herself to relax, so she smiled as she headed towards the dining area. "I don't care about that... you being full means more food for me. I've starving."

"Speaking of," Oliver interjected, walking in front of her to place the turkey down on the table, "Here's what your hard work brought."

It was beautiful, the set-up, the food, all of it, and seeing everyone take a seat around the table almost made it a picture-perfect moment. Finding her seat at the table, Evie said, "I can only hope it tastes as good as it smells... haven't touched a turkey dinner since casa Hopkins."

Turns out it was more than fine. Initially, everyone assured Evie that everything would taste fine, but that was upgraded from the minute people dug in. When the compliments sunk in, Evie stood up suddenly, lightly tapping her fork against her glass.

Everyone looked up at her, so Evie started her toast. "This is going to sound cheesy... all of it... but it's been awhile since I've celebrated Thanksgiving with more than two people."

After a quick grin in Bart's direction, Evie pressed on. "I'm thankful for every person at this table. Even when I give you every reason to doubt me... you still trust me enough to keep being my friend. It means more to me than I think you'll ever realize. Thank you."

"And," Chloe interjected before people started chinking glasses, "thanks to the person who brought us all together." Staring right at Evie, she added, "The person who sees the best in everyone."

There was a pause in the air for about ten seconds, so Bart asked, "Can we eat now?"

The rest of the table erupted in laughter, even though Bart was being completely serious. Regardless, everyone chinked glasses, ready to dig into Thanksgiving dinner.

* * *

><p><em>Sera's Scribbles: It's baaack. And it's back for good. I wasn't going to bring it back until this weekend, but I decided against it. January and March aside, this story is mostly written. Granted, we have around 20 parts to go... but I figure posting again will push me to finish up the storylines I need to.<em>

_During this story's hiatus, I had started an Evie/Victor collection of one-shots called "Second Chances." They can be found on my profile if you're interested. That all said... there's a chance I've alienated all of my previous followers for this story, so if you've stuck with me, thank you. I think I have a satisfying storyline ahead and I can only hope the wait will be worth it._


	9. November part 2

_**November 28**_

Leaning his forehead against Chloe's, Oliver said through his panting. "Thanks for helping me clean up."

Chloe chuckled, staring at their current state of attire, or rather, their lack of it. "_That's _what we were doing?" It had started that way, but somewhere along the way, it had lead to a couple of rounds on the countertop, and a grateful Chloe for the fact the counter was clean.

But Oliver just grinned back at her as he backed away slowly. "We may have gotten a little sidetracked."

"Hold the little, Ollie." Chloe got off the counter and began to gather her clothes that were scattered on the floor. "I think we broke a couple plates."

Oliver slipped his shirt over his head before looking at the floor, which suggested that Chloe was right. But it wasn't a big deal, so Oliver just shrugged. "I can afford more."

"Well, that might be true," Chloe replied as she adjusted her shirt against her body. Straightening up her hair as best as she could, she walked towards Oliver, kissed him lightly, so she didn't start anything more than what they had already done, and backed away to walk to the elevator. "But I really should be going."

Finding her purse nearby, Chloe began filtering through it to find her keys. But by the time she found them, she felt Oliver wrap his arms around her waist, whispering in her ear. "No reason you have to go."

His seductive tone echoed in her ear, and it didn't help that Oliver soon lowered his head to kiss a sensitive spot behind her ear. Initially, Chloe had leaned towards him, feeling the constant warmth that exuded from his skin. Part of her wanted to stay, knowing that it wouldn't hurt, but she found the strength to pull away. "I have to spend at least some nights at my apartment."

"Or you could just move in?" The moment that came out, Oliver squeezed his eyes shut, tempted to smack his forehead if his hands were in a different position. "I just said that aloud didn't I?" He had been thinking about this for a couple of weeks, but this was far from the way he wanted to ask Chloe.

Chloe nodded, almost grateful that she was facing away from him. To be honest, she hadn't been expecting that question. "Better question is... did you mean it?" She took a deep breath and turned around slowly, the answer clear in Oliver's expression.

"If you think about it, it's more along the lines of making it official. You spend most of your time here anyway." That was the rationale behind the offer, but Chloe's expression hadn't changed. She seemed nervous, confused maybe. Regardless of the mood, her answer was the same. "But you prefer it the way it is."

"It's not you... it's..." It seemed sudden, or something. Chloe couldn't exactly phrase what she as feeling so she blurted the first thing she thought of. "I'm worried about Evie."

It was a flimsy excuse, and one that had nothing to do with his offer, but there was truth to it. Since Evie revealed everything, Chloe hadn't been around much lately, and while Evie understood and didn't want Chloe to put her life on hold, that didn't make what she was doing better. "She's...helped me through so much, I feel like I need to... especially with Lois moving out recently..."

Oliver watched her stumble through her words, but the message was clear. "I get it," he said sincerely, and saw how Chloe's eyes flickered up. Stepping towards her, he gave Chloe a quick grin. "But the offer's open."

Chloe nodded as she took a couple paces forward, hoping to spin everything in a positive direction. "I love you."

"Love you too." Oliver gave her a quick kiss, and added as he backed away. He knew that she meant it too, as even though Chloe always seemed to hesitate at any turn of a relationship, she was always honest, and did what she thought was best. It was also why Oliver knew that everything was okay, as her answer wasn't a permanent _No_. She just needed time, and Oliver was fine with that. "Drive safe."

**~0~**

And with that, Metro Cafe had survived another lunchtime rush. Looking around, Evie noticed that the store was in serious need of stocking, so she turned to head to the back, but was stopped by the familiar bell chime. Looking up, Evie smiled at the person coming inside the cafe. "My favourite customer."

Chloe grinned back as she approached the counter. "Hey."

"The usual?"

Giving her answer in the form of a shrug, Chloe replied, "What can I say? I'm a creature of habit."

That Chloe definitely was, and of more than one habit at that. There was one in particular that Evie had to talk to her about. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

Pulling out some cash from her wallet, Chloe paid Evie's co-worker at the till before replying, "Not at all."

"Hold on a sec..." Evie finished making Chloe's drink, passed it to her, and then headed around the counter. She was probably due for a break anyway, as she sat down at a nearby table. After Chloe sat across from her, Evie knew that she was about to meddle with her personal life, but it had to be said. "I know this is on the down-low, but when it comes to you... your boyfriend is the furthest from subtle with me."

Chloe narrowed her eyes, as that wasn't a question, far from it. "Sorry, I feel like I'm missing something."

She was, and Evie was more than willing to fill in the blanks. She knew exactly what her friend was doing, and Evie wanted to set her straight. "Without actually asking me, Oliver pretty much wanted my permission for you to move in."

Chloe had opened her mouth to interject, but Evie quickly held up her hand to stop her from talking. "Don't even try to suggest that this is a new idea for you… I may have stepped over some proverbial line, but it was only because I knew Oliver was thinking about asking you soon."

"When did he ask you?"

"Last week," Evie replied, reminded of how Oliver had come in to buy coffee for Chloe, as he never drank the stuff himself. "I think he knew that I was an obstacle to you saying yes, and honestly, I thought he was crazy... until you came home last night."

The only reason Evie even heard her come home was due to her ability. She always saw herself as a light sleeper, keeping an ear out for any strange noises, but all the while, appearing completely asleep. That particular skill had come in handy once Evie got it under control, in particular, Evie's first New Year's Eve with Chloe and Oliver.

The morning may have had its negative ramifications, but the grin on her face when she heard them wish each other a happy new year was pretty wide. Sure, Evie had genuinely fallen asleep soon after, alcohol did that to a person, but the gesture had been worth it.

This time, Chloe came back to the apartment almost silent. These days, it was rare for Evie to wake up and see someone else with her in the apartment, so she had been expecting Chloe's response to her comment.

"I haven't exactly been there for you recently... and I didn't want to leave you by yourself."

Evie laughed. "Chloe, I've been by myself, and right now I'm the furthest I've even been from that since you-know-where. Besides, it's not like we won't see each other, even if you spend your nights at Oliver's." She took a deep breath as they approached the door. "All I ask is what would your answer be if I wasn't here? Because you're lying to him and yourself if you think I'm the reason you hesitated."

**~0~**

It hadn't been long since Chloe had been here, the offer still fresh in her mind. There felt like plenty of reasons why she initially said no, but she took a couple hours off work, a trial period by herself, thinking over the decision again.

They were right, she spent as much time here as she could, but she had to hand it to both Evie and Oliver. Despite their obvious opinions, they still pushed Chloe to make her own decision. That's what brought her to this moment. It was just her, as Oliver was at work for at least three more hours, and she had even called Lauren to make sure that he was still in the office.

She dropped her purse onto his desk, digging through her bag to promptly turn off her phone. Chloe knew, if she was going to do this right, there would be no distractions.

It was a bachelor pad, designed that way, and for a long time, that was the fact of Oliver's status. Could she make it work here? Could changing their relationship be a good thing?

Listening to her hesitations brought her back to talking with Lois on the same matter not too long ago. It made sense for her and Clark. They had been dating for a lot longer than her and Oliver, that was the justification Chloe had been telling herself, but the more she said it, the less Chloe herself believed it.

Everyone had told her they saw it from day one. Her and Oliver... they were solid. It wasn't a matter of commitment, as Oliver proved day after day, that he'd be by her side, and Chloe knew she didn't mind that. So what exactly was scaring her so much?

Lifting her purse and her bags, she headed towards the bedroom, seeing the room she had occupied as a guest so many times. As her bags hit the floor, Chloe sat on the bed, smirking at the way that Oliver's pillow made an outline of his head. It was hard to believe that in their short time together, they had determined domestic elements like 'sides,' and the more Chloe thought about it, Oliver was right, the only thing that was missing was the formality.

He knew how to make her coffee in the morning, Chloe knew his favourite take-out place for when he worked late, and there was always a warm bed to come home to.

Filtering her fingers through her side of the closet, Chloe paused at the word she just associated with this place. Home.

Smirking, she realized... maybe she could do this after all.

**~0~**

Her clothes were already off, across the room on one of the various hooks in the bathroom. Chloe had honestly forgotten how large this room was, but such is the advantage of being a billionaire, not that her financial state was terrible.

Most of the money she gained from leading Oliver's company was still present in her accounts, but Chloe was never really about frivolously throwing it away. Sure, donations were given to charities, and it was well known while she was in Star City that she was well-off, but that press died down in Metropolis, as Chloe preferred to save her money for a rainy day, or techno-updates at Watchtower.

Still, when Chloe lived this kind of lifestyle, it was the only time Oliver wasn't with her, and suddenly a chill went up her spine, causing her to pull the white robe closer to her body. She quickly pushed that reminder away because of how things had turned out. Also because her mind was made up, and she wasn't about to mess with it.

So Chloe turned around, beginning to untie the knot in the sash, she decided a little phone call to the man in question would prevent her from chickening out. The expression when Chloe turned him down wasn't one she wanted to see again, and she knew that letting him know that she was here... well, it would be a good way to perk his mood up at work.

Feeling the tie slip through her fingers, she reached up to slip the robe off her shoulders, but her eyes glanced towards the door, a glance that almost caused her to lose her balance. Standing in the doorway was Oliver, cocky grin and all, giving her an appreciative glance. "Please, there's no reason stop undressing on my account."

True, he had seen everything that was to see, but Chloe was initially a little apprehensive, so her hand came to her side. "You were supposed to be at work for a couple more hours."

"I overheard that last part of your conversation with Lauren, told her I changed my mind, but not to call you back." He had to admit, he enjoyed the camaraderie his assistant and Chloe shared, even if it meant Lauren was tight-lipped on the matter. It didn't matter, as Oliver put the pieces together himself and he thought about staying at work, but taking off early tended to have positive consequences.

Pushing himself from the doorway, Oliver took a couple steps to enter the bathroom. "So what are you doing here?" He came to the clocktower, expecting to surprise her, but Chloe surprised him first, as he noticed the suitcases in his bedroom. Except Oliver had a feeling that it wouldn't just be his for very long.

"About to have a bath," Chloe replied before suggestively raising her eyebrow. "You care to join me?"

Initially, Oliver couldn't tell if Chloe was trying to persuade him that she had changed her mind, or she was trying to distract him as she pushed the bathrobe off both her shoulders. The movement caused the material to lay loose on her arms, her cleavage more visible to his eyes. But Oliver pried his eyes up. "I can see that, and while I fully intend on joining, that wasn't what I meant."

Taking a step closer, Chloe tried to read Oliver's expression, wondering if that meant what she thought. It didn't long for her to realize it did. "I talked to Evie about... us... and she insisted that I needed to really think about the offer." She didn't find it necessary to tell Oliver about his lack of subtlety.

Oliver nodded, reaching his hand forward to cradle the side of her head. "Something you want to tell me?"

"You were right," she replied, her breathing heavy. They had been together long enough that Oliver's proximity shouldn't have this kind of effect on Chloe, but he did, so as he tangled his fingertips in her hair, she couldn't help but shut her eyes. "I think I was scared it was too fast, not that I doubt what we have." She sighed, knowing how it sounded, but wanting to be honest, clear. "But the moment I got here, I decided to have a couple hours to myself, figure out if I could handle it, being here."

Oliver grinned, glad to hear that she was coming around to the idea, but it sounded like she still needed time to make her decision. "In that case, I can make myself scarce." He wasn't about to mess this up by rushing her, so he started to turn, but he felt Chloe grab his wrist in order to impede his progress.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but last I checked," Chloe stated, suggestively glancing back towards the tub, "you're part of the package."

Next thing Oliver knew, Chloe had untucked his shirt from his slacks, sliding her hands underneath it to feel his skin on her fingertips. It was clear that any intention that Oliver had of leaving went out the window, as even his words were limited.

"I am."

Chloe couldn't help but smirk at the way Oliver looked at her right now. There really was something great about having someone love her as much as she loved him. "And I think," she whispered as she leaned on her tiptoes to be closer to him. "You might be the difference maker in this decision."

With that, Oliver had enough as he closed the remaining distance between them, kissing Chloe hard on the lips as he worked her back towards the bathtub. It didn't take long for the bathrobe to fall from her arms, nor did it take much longer for Chloe to work off Oliver's jacket and tie.

Once she got to his shirt, buttons were lost haphazardly, but Oliver couldn't care less. Moving his lips from hers, he eyed Chloe's naked form in front of him. "So I'm clear," he asked, not wanting to ruin the mood, but still wanting to be sure, "You _are _moving in?"

At that moment, Chloe had finished with Oliver's belt, and she couldn't resist a laugh when she heard that question, as she thought she had been clear. But if needed more convincing then so be it. She thought about undoing his pants, but instead, she decided to palm him over his pants, feel the reaction she made him feel. Sure enough, his length twitched as she slightly moved her hands over his crotch.

Looking up, she teased him with a spark in her eye. "What do you think Oliver?"

She felt Oliver move her hand away from him and before she could say anything further, Chloe felt her feet leave the ground. "I think," he replied before kissing Chloe, "That bath might have to wait."

* * *

><p><em><strong>November 30<strong>_

As Lois opened her eyes, she took in the semi-familiar surroundings. She was back at her old apartment, the one she shared with Chloe and Evie, except she had no idea how she got here.

The room was dark, which wasn't a surprise considering there were no windows in their bedroom, but it seemed to be still very early in the morning, a fact confirmed by the glowing light on the alarm clock. 5:30 a.m. A couple of hours ago, Lois was meeting a source and then... well, it was hazy now.

The door creaked open, and Evie came in with a smile. "Good to see you up again."

Lois momentarily smiled back as she looked down at herself. Still wearing the clothes she was earlier, and overall, she seemed to be in okay shape. That, and Evie was calm, but still seemed to be harbouring something. "How did I get here exactly?"

"The short version," Evie replied, flipping the light switch before sitting down on the bed across from Lois, "I followed you."

"Why?"

"Because you went against your boyfriend's word and ran down a lead." Evie watched Lois' eyes widen, but she couldn't back down on this. Evie had to stress at the dangers of the situation she had saved Lois from. "On a story that Tess knows nothing about, nor Clark, nor any one for that matter."

Lois nodded, and then looked up towards the door. If Evie called Clark, it would take seconds for him to get here, and honestly, Lois wanted to get this whole thing over with. "Where is he?"

Evie just smirked. Sure, Clark was the one that told Evie to look after Lois, but her attackers were in jail, and Lois was fine. As far as Evie was concerned, what he wouldn't know, wouldn't hurt him. "He has no idea what happened, and I'm willing to keep that way."

"If..."

"If you tell me what had you at Suicide Slums at two in the morning," Evie quickly finished. She knew Lois enough to know she'd be out on the streets again if she didn't get what she wanted. If Evie could help it, she was hoping to persuade Lois to take another story, or at the very least, maybe even help her before Lois did get hurt.

But Lois wasn't really up to answering that just yet. It didn't make sense, as Lois always ensured to check over her shoulder for anyone tailing her. If Evie had been following her, Lois would have liked to think she would have noticed. "How did you find me?"

For Evie, that answer was easy. If Clark was worried, then Suicide Slums would usually be the target destination. She had Victor run the tracker Clark had planted on her phone, and from there, it was cake. But Lois couldn't find out about that. "I'll answer that question if you answer mine." Evie had to be firm on this, to know what Lois was getting herself into.

Lois shrugged as she got out of bed. It seemed like they were at a standstill, but she wasn't about to budge just yet. "It was a hunch at best before... but it's nothing more than a dead end now." Figuring that was enough, she gestured towards Evie. "Your turn."

"Lois." But when Lois wasn't giving more details, Evie came clean. _Someone _had to.

**~0~**

_When Evie agreed to keep an eye on Lois, she just thought Clark was being paranoid. It wouldn't be that much of a stretch. But it appeared that he had a rational reason to be worried. Initially, she had been caught off-guard when he asked her of all people to keep an eye on Lois, but apparently Clark had been impressed by the way she hid behind the scenes. _

_She kept a two-block distance, but once Lois had turned down an alley, it took Evie everything she had not to groan aloud. Alley, early morning or late night depending on the definition, alone... __**come on**__ Lois. Last time Evie heard about an incident like this regarding Lois, she was in Star City General Hospital, nursing a nasty concussion. _

_Evie walked closer, eventually within earshot. Lois asked a man what information he had for her, in reply, the man said enough to link it to the source. Evie missed whatever Lois said back thanks to the beginning of a struggle, so Evie turned her head around the corner. _

_Two guys, okay, this was doable. _

_Turning the corner, Evie pulled her gun, took a minute to aim, and fired away. Perfect shots, it seems that all her practice with Riley at the safehouse paid off after all. Granted, she hated real guns, hence the tranquilizer gun in her hand now. Good thing, because she had shot Lois by accident too. So now she had to carry her home... great._

**~0~**

Lois stood there, her mouth gaping open by the second. Evie looked like she still had more to say, but Lois blurted, "You carried me home?"

"Dragged is more like it." Evie brought her hand up to her shoulder, which was still hurting after the multiple blocks she had to go in order to get to her car. "You really could lay off the maple doughnuts."

Lois snorted. "Well, you didn't have to _shoot me_."

"I didn't have to tell you anything, but I did." Remaining on the bed, Evie crossed her arms. "So what's the story?"

Staring back for a minute, Lois sighed. It seemed that she wasn't getting out of this without at least telling someone. "The shooting in the Slums last week...it's a cover-up for something."

Evie had heard the story, but it had seemed fairly cut and dry. Then again, things always were more than what they seemed, but she chose to ignore it. She had enough going on as it was. "How?"

Lois walked over to her bag, pulled out a file folder and laid it on the bed where Evie was sitting. "I got Emil to run a favour for me and he agreed to run the autopsy. There _was _no victim, because the guy had been dead for years."

That caught Evie's attention. "Who was the victim?" She turned around on the bed and read the name on the folder, answering her own question. "That's... not possible."

"Evie... you know this guy?" Lois lowered herself to meet her friend's eyes, trying to understand the change in her expression. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise, maybe Evie was the break she was looking for. "The file on the guy is little to nil, but he was kidnapped or something."

Swallowing hard in response, Evie realized that she forgot to fill in Lois on that little detail of her past. "Or shot dead at a 33.1 facility."

If this meant what Lois thought it did, this clearly wasn't good. "Is that linked to... you?"

Evie didn't even bothering answering that directly as she took the folder into her hands, trying to figure out why now. Lex was trying to send a message, he was trying to reach out to her, to see if she really was still alive. It seemed like patrolling would have to wait even longer now. Seeing the picture in front of her, Evie smoothed her fingers down it, breaking her silence. "I can't believe they held onto that body for all this time."

Lois sat down behind Evie, reading the details in the folder again over Evie's shoulder. "Meaning?"

Taking a deep breath, Evie slammed the folder shut and pushed it aside. Shifting her body to face Lois straight-on, she divulged more of her past. "Meaning that he betrayed LuthorCorp... he's the reason I got out. Well, him and Victor sacrificing himself before Clark got him out."

"You probably want me to drop the story, I take it." It was a solid lead, but not one Lois was looking for. It wasn't like she could dig into this, and she wasn't about to risk Evie's nor Victor's safety in doing so.

Evie smiled. "I was going to ask, yes." Her eyes looked downward as she added, "People digging around in my past... only gets them hurt." Messing with her past, trying to shut down Lex, it's what allowed her to get on Lex's radar in the first place. A simple deed with the right intentions brought her back to the days of living as if she was walking on eggshells.

Reaching out to touch her friend's shoulder, Lois said, "For what it's worth... thanks. You're a really good friend." Regardless of her methods, Evie likely saved Lois from a bad situation. It may not have been the news she wanted to hear, but at least it was Lois covering it. If this cover-up did go public, things had a chance to go from bad to worse from her.

"You too Lois." After all, it wasn't everyday that someone was willing to drop a potential Pulitzer piece for a friend.


	10. December part 1

**December**

_**December 4**_

Hearing the elevator, Chloe came towards it, ready to greet Oliver home. But to her surprise, it was someone else entering the room.

"Clark?"

It wasn't like he wasn't welcome, but Chloe was wondering what was going on. It was late, and it made sense for Oliver to be out because he was in the midst of a deal with a Chinese corporation, but Clark didn't stop by too often at this hour unless it was an emergency. "Is everything okay?'"

It must have been, because Clark just blinked at Chloe. "What are you doing here?"

It shouldn't have been a shock to Clark, but Chloe was reminded that they had been distant lately, and her relationship with Oliver was still fairly new, not to mention the likelihood of the two friends having two different definitions of relationships.

Then again, that didn't exactly cover the recent new development in her relationship with Oliver. "I... I guess I forgot to tell people." Thinking for a minute, Chloe realized how true that was, besides Evie of course. But things had been going well, so it was probably time, and while Oliver would have likely preferred to be here, Chloe decided there was no point walking around the truth now. "Ollie and I... we're living together."

Of course, telling Clark anything of this nature would set off alarm bells, and she even recognized the signature expression. "Don't give me that look Clark, I practically lived here before." Although saying so easily that made Chloe want to roll her eyes for ever doubting anything.

"I'm just..." Clark's voice trailed when he realized that what he thought wasn't important. Sure, he had his doubts in Oliver, but they had been diminishing every day, and his best friend's disposition was enough to convince him that, "You're really happy, aren't you? With Oliver."

"Yeah, I am." Chloe just hoped that her word was enough.

He could see the frustration in her eyes, and Clark thought it was best to try to cool the fire Chloe was containing. "I am happy for you, no matter how little it shows." Clark watched her blink a couple of times out of shock, but Clark just shrugged as he looked around. "Oliver and I may have our differences, but he's good to you. I can see that."

Chloe sighed with relief, glad they didn't need to have a pointless argument. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that." She chuckled lightly as she added, "Initially, I thought I'd have to use kryptonite for you to accept it."

To her surprise, Clark actually laughed back, before he paused to look at Chloe again. "Oliver and I have come a long way. Now that I think about it, so have we."

With a nod, Chloe acknowledged the comment, but she saw in his eyes the undertone of how Clark was thinking about how they had grown apart. "I know that look too." She watched Clark's head pop up, so she gave him a quick smile. "You're not losing me Clark. We're just growing up."

He nodded, but still shrugged a shoulder. "Can you blame for me sensing the bittersweet in all this?"

"Hey, I'm still here. And last I checked, you were the one wanting to whoosh out all the time to save the world by himself." Approaching him, Chloe wrapped an arm around his back, gesturing her head towards the terrace. As they walked towards it, she added, "This time, you have help, Clark Kent. More than just me."

"You were enough," Clark immediately replied. It was fitting that she brought up the 'help' he had, considering that reason he was here. But Clark wasn't about to lose the opportunity that was given to him. He knew that there were things he could have handled better when it came to Chloe, and if nothing else, he owed her an apology. "I don't think I ever told you that you were enough back then, but..."

Chloe stopped him. "You didn't, but I knew, deep down." The sentiment was appreciated, but at this point, it was water under the bridge. "A schoolgirl crush aside, we worked well together."

She meant every word, because besides the awkward Lana drama, something Clark eventually got over, he rose above most of his annoying tendencies, and became the friend Chloe would always need in her life.

It was weird though, thinking back to all those years ago, what they had done to both Clark and Chloe. Back then, they were just regular folk at a high school. Now, Clark was saving the world one save at a time, and Chloe was helping a group of heroes stop Lex Luthor... with a much richer personal bank account than she ever could imagine. Not to mention her current boyfriend.

Chloe never would have pegged herself to have a guy like Ollie in her life, not to mention the fact that he would be interested in her. But every day, Oliver proved that there was more to life than met the eye, a lesson that Clark had previously taught her.

But for now, Clark would simply smirk at her comment. "I'm sorry... I probably should have handled that better."

"Eighteen-year-old me would have told you yes, but now, now I have a different perspective." Bringing her arm back to her side, Chloe walked back towards Oliver's desk, taking another scan of the penthouse around her. It was an unexpected life direction, but Chloe was grateful for everything she had. The Clark and Lana saga wasn't supposed to be something that she would be grateful for, but in truth, it was the catalyst that changed everything for Chloe. "That decision took us places we had to go, helped mould us into who we are." And that was something Chloe didn't want to change.

"True," was Clark's quiet reply, for it wasn't just Chloe who had changed. It woke Clark up in a way. Her moving to Star City made him realize what Chloe's friendship really meant, even if Clark didn't always show it properly. The move also allowed Clark's relationship with Lois to flourish, and likely allowed for Clark's relationship with Lois to even happen. That was something Clark would never take for granted.

Propping herself on the desk, Chloe figured they had done enough reminiscing for one night. "So what did you need Oliver for?" After all, it was clear that Clark wasn't looking for her.

He didn't waste any time, so Clark shook his nerves aside, taking his hands out of his pockets. "I've been thinking... about joining you guys."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, as she knew there were too many options for reasons Clark would want to see Oliver, but she knew Clark had been pretty dead-set on the whole solo act. "Seriously?"

"Like you said, I have help." Clark closed his eyes as he admitted, "But it's more than that. I could have helped Lex from turning to his father's projects."

It was no secret to either as to how Lex turned from a friend to a foe. Back in Smallville, there were days that they were genuine friends, but a secret like Clark's changed things, and for Lex, the secrecy was more of a betrayal than anything else.

"Maybe, but at what cost?" Chloe pushed herself from the desk and approached her friend carefully. Sure, Clark had told Lana, Chloe, Lois, Oliver, the team... but there wasn't a likely scenario in Chloe's mind that suggested Lex would be as understanding. "There's no way to know what could have happened." In fact, Lex was something Chloe thought her best friend had handled right, despite the consequences.

Clark turned his head to look outside the window that overlooked the Metropolis skyline before turning back towards Chloe. "Which is why I want to help. My first priority is here, but... I figure I can still pitch in, even on a part-time basis."

Smile planted on her face, Chloe slipped on the shoes she had abandoned by the elevator doors. "Well, then it's time for me to introduce you to Watchtower." As she slipped her coat through her arms, Chloe realized what she said, so she turned her head back around to clarify. "The building."

* * *

><p><em><strong>December 5<strong>_

It had been a fairly routine morning, but the way that Oliver had rushed into her office and slammed the door seemed to imply something was up.

"Good morning," she said with a smile, taking notice of the newspaper in his hand. "What brings you here?"

He grinned back as he approached the desk. "Checking up on aspects of my company... and dulling all unnecessary fires." Oliver said the words slowly, wondering if Chloe would recognize the reason, but she just furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "I take it that you haven't read the _Inquisitor _this morning?"

She hadn't, and if Chloe could help it, she never did. Hearing the paper's name only made her roll her eyes. "What stupid line are they spinning now?"

"You... and Clark on a very late-night rendezvous." Oliver put down the paper showing the photo of Chloe and Clark heading towards Watchtower. It was a completely innocent photo, as Chloe was laughing at something Clark had said, but the writer had done her research to know Clark was a friend. The headline was a groaner pun: _Like a Moth to an Old Flame? _but Chloe didn't expect any different.

However, the fact Oliver was here concerned Chloe a little. "Ollie... please tell me that you're—"

He stopped her words by placing his hand over hers. "I'm not jealous of Clark in the slightest, and I know this headline is bullshit." The days of Chloe pining for Clark were long over, and if nothing else, Clark and Lois were stronger than ever, not to mention the strength of their own relationship. "I'm here to let them get their shots, let this whole thing die down, because frankly, it's a slow news day if they're printing this."

That made sense, and it felt great for Oliver to be so calm about this. Chloe really felt like their relationship was becoming more stable, even after moving together, so it meant a lot that he trusted her as much as he did.

But before they went and got their statements taken, Chloe had something to tell him. "Well, speaking of news... the reason Clark came by last night is because he wants to help."

"Help as in...?"

Getting up, Chloe walked around her desk to stand beside Oliver before answering his unfinished question. "Patrol the odd night, maybe even help on missions part-time."

Oliver wanted to laugh at the thought, as he made a similar offer under a year ago, and Clark had made it clear he wasn't interested. But Chloe's expression implied that something had changed. "You're serious?"

"Very. The reason we were out was because I wanted to show him Watchtower." She looked down at the paper, sighing at the photo. "I thought I was careful, but at least the guy caught us near the clocktower."

Noticing the familiar frown on her face, Oliver squeezed her hand a little tighter. "Don't worry about it."

"I'm not," Chloe clarified, "I just... I forget sometimes that this is going to be a part of my life you know." She could practically hear Oliver open his mouth to apologize, so Chloe quickly stopped him. "Regardless of us, so don't even go there."

Still staring at the photo, Chloe found herself smiling as she remembered another facet of the night that was. Reminded of the apology that Clark gave her. He didn't have to, but it was still nice to hear. It really felt like life was coming into place, even with the potential threat of Lex Luthor in their lives. But for now all they could do was, as Ollie put it, dull this unnecessary fire.

"Okay, let's do this."

* * *

><p><em><strong>December 6<strong>_

Years had passed since the accident, yet this was the first time he had ever visited his parent's and sister's gravesite. It felt wrong that Victor considered it another lifetime, after all, they were his family, but he was leery about coming back to this, reminding him of what he lost.

He hadn't come to the funeral, as Victor was locked up in 33.1, so he never really had a chance to say goodbye. He figured now was good as time as any. Bart was the only one who knew about his little excursion, and the date had no significance whatsoever, but it appeared his roommate had a hard time keeping secrets.

Lifting his head, Victor called out, "You planning on standing there all day?"

There was a second's pause in the air, as he felt the wind chill on his ears especially, but eventually, there was a crunch in the snow behind him. One footstep after another, Victor heard them come closer, so he peered to his right, seeing Evie standing beside him now.

"I figured you needed space," was her quiet reply, her hands firmly in the pockets of her coat. While she had come prepared, there was only so much one could do to prepare the wind today.

"Yet you came?"

Evie looked over in his direction. "You're the one who keeps telling me that I'm not alone." She sighed, knowing everything Victor had helped her through. "I figured it was my turn to lend a hand."

He grinned a little before turning his head back towards the tombstones. "Sorry to get your hopes up, but I'm just visiting." Victor knew she'd call him on his lie, but he thought that at least he'd try not to worry her via his problems this time. "I… I haven't had a chance to come here yet. Thought they deserved as much as my paying respects."

"Look, you barely talk about your family and the accident, so I'm not going to overstep." Evie brought her hands to her mouth, blowing warm air into them, trying to find the most appropriate words. "Something kept you from coming here. It might have been guilt, fear, but something kept you."

"If that's true, what about it?"

Evie pointed to the tombstones. "You always said that you belonged here instead, that pushing forward wasn't worth it because you weren't human." Evie rotated her body to face him straight on, letting Victor know she meant everything she was about to say. "I think they'd be proud of who you've become."

Victor didn't say anything, he just stared ahead, shuffling his feet a couple times. She sighed again before pressing on, "Trust me, I get it, but again, you told me that you have to fight back, accept everything you are." With Victor's continued silence, Evie reached out to place her hand on his shoulder, just trying to get his attention. "See in yourself what I see in you. The hope in yourself that you see in everyone else."

Again, no reaction, so she brought her hand back, realizing space was probably golden to him right now. But she got only two steps away when she finally heard his voice. "You're right." Evie just turned her head, for while she was grateful that he spoke up, she wasn't about to interrupt him. Whatever he had to say… she knew he had to say it. "I forget sometimes that you know me just as well."

"Is that all?" Evie smirked at him lightly, trying to lighten the mood. "Because I hate to say this, but I knew that."

Despite the setting, Victor chuckled, always glad to see a smile on her face. "You're enjoying the switch aren't you?"

Evie's grin widened. "A little. But you haven't bawled your eyes out yet, so I'd say we're far from even on that front."

"Well," he said, reaching out to grab her hand. "I appreciate you coming here. I know you didn't have to."

Squeezing his hand gently, Evie quickly disagreed, "Yeah, I did."

* * *

><p><em><strong>December 19<strong>_

Walking out of Metro with coffee warming their hands, Lois crinkled her nose as she looked up at the sky. "Ugh, can you believe this?" Lois had met up with Evie at the end of her shift to catch up, but they stayed longer than planned because Lois wanted to see if the snow would ever let up. It didn't, and Evie poked Lois' ego, told her to suck it up.

It wasn't like snow even fazed Evie as she laughed at her friend's sentiment, sticking her tongue out to catch a snowflake. "Oh come on Lo, this is far from the end of the world."

The two of them were almost polar opposites as they walked down the street. After all, there was a reason Lois settled in California for a large portion of her life and despite two weeks of snow being a reality on the streets on Metropolis, she hadn't gotten used to it.

So while she understood Evie's comment, considering what the girl went through, that didn't mean that Lois enjoyed walking through the blowing snow. "Seriously, how can you be so cheery right now?"

Shrugging a shoulder, Evie's smile widened as she contemplated her words. "Because I'm a crazy person who _likes _winter?" Winter reminded her of her first 'life,' of what she had when she was a kid. Furthermore, with Christmas around the corner, she got just as giddy as Chloe, and the snow was a bonus. Evie had grown tired of not having a white Christmas.

Lois disagreed. "You're absolutely right about that," she muttered as she placed her steps carefully. "So where are you going that we couldn't have waited longer?"

"Watchtower," Evie replied, staring ahead at the building and then glancing down at her watch, showing that she was already a half hour late.

"Why?" If Lois' memory served her correctly, it wasn't often the team ventured to Watchtower this early.

"Technical bugs." Closing her eyes, Evie was reminded of the mess she had encountered when she entered Watchtower a couple of days ago. He had tried, Evie would give him that, but it was inevitable that Bart would eventually cause chaos in Watchtower.

"I thought that was Chloe's domain." It may have taken some time for Lois to figure out the specifics, and some details she was still narrowing down, but she always thought her cousin and Victor handled everything computer related.

"She's better for software than hardware fixes." Besides, Evie also knew that Oliver and her had plans to take the weekend off from work, superheroes... everything. Considering everything they do, Evie couldn't blame them, which is why she volunteered to fix things while Bart and Clark took the patrols. After all, she was more than qualified. "Thanks to my dad, I'm comfortable with the inner _and _outer workings of computers."

That made sense to Lois, because Evie had to literally start from square one after 33.1, not to mention all the work she did to keep herself off the radar. "So you're spending a Friday night… fixing computers."

Evie knew what Lois was trying to do, especially with her boyfriend and cousin busy, not to mention the stale air when it came to news. Unfortunately, Evie couldn't give her the answer she wanted. "You don't have to believe me Lois, but my life's not that exciting. We want to have everything up and running asap."

They'd been using the clocktower as a substitute Watchtower since, however it didn't really suit their needs. But Evie didn't feel comfortable talking about this on the street, so she switched the direction of the conversation. "What's on your agenda Lois?"

"I think Dinah's in town," Lois said with a sigh. "Can't stand the woman, but she's a decent drinking buddy."

Arriving at Watchtower, Evie held the door open to properly say goodbye. "Then I guess I'll see you later." Part of her wanted to invite Lois up, but Evie had no idea how long the computer fix would take, and for Lois, it would be like watching paint dry.

"Yep," Lois replied. "Good luck."

Evie nodded, watching Lois continue down the street, so she headed towards the elevator. Several emergency protocols later, she felt the elevator starting its ascent and her smile grew. Sure, Evie had sort of lied to Lois when she said all that she was doing was computer related, but Evie had been looking forward to this all week and she wanted to ensure it happened without a hitch.

The elevator opening up, Evie headed towards the double doors and looked around the room. But a voice shook her out of her thoughts.

"Took you long enough." Looking over towards the stained glass window, Victor sat on one of the nearby couches, sorting through computer equipment. He had been here already for two hours, waiting for Evie to show up. And while he was happy to see her smile, he couldn't resist the single jab.

Slipping off her coat, Evie showed her apology in the form of her biting her lip. "Lois interrupted my progress."

Victor had figured as much based on the last couple of texts, but it was good to have it confirmed. With Evie... silence was always a scary concept. But she was here now and they had a lot of work to do. "You ready to fix all this?"

Evie sighed as she looked around at the mess her cousin made. To Bart's credit, he did offer to clean up, but that would likely only make things worse. Then again, it gave Evie the perfect cover for tonight's _other _objective. "Among other things." Squinting her eyes at the various boxes around, she asked, "You get the decorations?"

Stopping his progress, Victor reached behind him to lift up a couple of boxes to show Evie. "When do I ever let you down?"

She tilted her head to the side, acknowledging his point. "True." Clapping her hands, she began moving towards the mess of wires. "Okay, let's get this fixed." She knelt down and started working. "As serious as we all are, I want this to scream Christmas when we're done."

Victor nodded as he let the decorations boxes back down to resume with fixing the technical issues. But he found himself stopping as he heard a familiar tune in the air. Just a couple of months ago, this girl was at her wit's end, almost wanting to give up entirely, but now, she hummed Christmas carols as she played with the wires, albeit still knowing what she was doing.

But eventually he had been caught staring, and Evie paused to look up at him. "What?"

Not really sure what to say to her, Victor smiled back and said, "You look...happy."

Evie chuckled lightly as she stood up again. "It's the holidays... it wouldn't feel right to be sad right now." And then it was her time to smile, to remind herself of how good it felt to not be worried about everything and just enjoy the moment. To bask in the here and now, because honestly, it felt pretty good right now, and Evie intended on savouring every second of it.

**~0~**

Chloe couldn't believe her eyes. The penthouse looked... nothing like before. Tinsel lined the walls, Christmas lights were almost everywhere. A tree not far away from the clock face that hid the Green Arrow room and if Chloe's nose served her right, there was something baking.

"Oliver?" she called out in disbelief. Sure, last Christmas was... joyful, but that was because he wanted to cheer Chloe up. This year, he had no reason to do all this. Because she could tell it was Oliver's handiwork. The man could hire people to decorate this place, but he was too proud for that.

It took a second, but Oliver emerged from the hallway, apron tied around his t-shirt and jeans. Smiling as their eyes met, his pace quickened as he greeted her home with a kiss. "Surprise."

Reaching up to cup his cheek, Chloe felt her smile widen. "I can't believe you did all this."

"Well," he replied, slipping his hand into hers. "I went shopping with Evie, upon which I've discovered that she'd practically memorized the layout of this place, so she picked out some of the stuff."

Some was probably an understatement as Evie filled up the cart, saying how something would great in a particular place. At one point, Oliver had to stop her, but it appears the little shopping trip had been worth it. "I...wanted to make this place full of holiday cheer."

Backing away, Chloe lay her purse down his desk, slowly taking off her coat before draping it over the chair. "But you don't like Christmas."

"I didn't, there's a difference." Oliver figured that he had made that clear, but he was more than willing to remind Chloe of that change. "I've learned to enjoy the holidays since you've come into my life." There was something about the way Chloe smiled during the holidays and between her and Evie, it was hard not to be in a good mood once December hit.

And that was something the team never took for granted, considering how hard the two women would work to ensure the team had structure. Sure, Oliver was the leader, but since Chloe's abduction, Evie and Chloe had been working hard to create protocol to help prevent another situation like that.

However, as important as all that was to keep the streets of Metropolis safe, it was just as important for them to take care of themselves. To remind themselves of their 'human' side, even though they had no abilities. So Oliver decided that him and Chloe should take a weekend off. Besides, taking that time was good for them, as how they spent their holidays was a nice way to look back, a reminder of where they started, and the growth of their relationship.

There was one difference between those years and now, one difference that Oliver was grateful for every day. They were together, happy, and about to enjoy holidays like any other couple in the world.


	11. December part 2

_**December 25**_

After everyone had seen the work Victor and Evie had done to Watchtower, everyone had been in holiday mode. There would still be patrols, but they also decided they needed to celebrate. After all, this team was the closest thing most had to family.

But Christmas had hit and they realized they didn't have a tree in Watchtower. That was solved by Oliver and Clark, using the latter's super strength to easily bring it up the stairs when it didn't fit in the elevator.

From there, the league left Evie and Chloe to decorate because they were the most in spirit. It also made sense as Evie could reach the taller branches via telekinesis without breaking a bulb. It was also hard not to get nostalgic as ornaments were hung on the tree.

For a while, they would just hum along to the carols in the background, but eventually Chloe asked, "What was Christmas like at the Hopkins residence?"

She knew it was hard asking Evie anything about her family, but Chloe couldn't resist. Despite everything that had happened to her, Christmas lit up Evie's eyes, and Chloe figured there was a reason.

To Chloe's surprise, Evie even smiled as she determined the next spot for an ornament. "Nothing special... dinner, family nights together. We'd usually watch the game and banter about things."

"Lucky... my dad was usually working." Chloe leaned back after placing an ornament on the tree. "If you get through this, do you ever think of going back?"

Evie's smile quickly fell, as did the ornament she was holding, but she was able to stop it before it hit the ground. Moving it into the air, she settled it up on a higher branch. "I have to get through this first. Counting chickens before they hatched is part of the reason I have to live this way." It wasn't likely the answer Chloe was looking for, but it was all Evie could give at this point. "The fact that you guys are willing to walk this path with me... I couldn't ask for a greater family than this league."

Neither could Chloe, so she backed off, looking at the work they had done so far. They had been doing this for at least an hour and it finally looked like the tree was getting covered. "This is a big tree, isn't it?"

Evie chuckled as she looked up, guiding an ornament towards the middle of the tree. "Oliver went all out on this one, that's for sure." Looking at the base of the tree, Evie noticed a couple presents that were lining the bottom, as Oliver insisted it wasn't a real Christmas tree without them. "Hey Chloe."

She turned her head, noticing her friend's expression as she looked at the floor. "Yeah?"

Biting the inside of her lip, Evie finally said softly, "I... I didn't get you anything for Christmas." She couldn't explain why she hadn't bought gifts for her, or for anyone. She hadn't been strapped for cash, or time, but nothing seemed good enough. Everything she looked at paled in comparison to the people she wanted to spoil this Christmas, the most honest one she had experienced since her stint in 33.1.

But instead of shrugging it off, as Evie had been expecting, Chloe smiled and said simply without hesitation, "You already did, trust me."

As far as Chloe was concerned, Evie owed her nothing. All those days she spent by Chloe during what were probably the roughest years of her life, not wavering, even when Chloe was inches from losing her mind.

Evie bit her lip again, suddenly feeling tears coming to her eyes. This time, she was at least grateful that they were happy tears. "Okay."

Just then, the door to Watchtower opened with Bart, Victor, and AC, the latter two with food dishes, as Bart rightly was not to be trusted with food. Oliver had insisted on treating the league with Christmas dinner, as his feelings towards the holiday had been increased by the spirit of the people around him. Seeing the guys set everything up signalled that everything was getting close.

Wiping the tears that had found their way to the surface, Evie picked up the star from the box. She tossed it lightly in the air and guided it up all the way to the top, smiling as it landed perfectly. She took a couple steps back, admiring the work Chloe and her had done, when the lights went out in Watchtower. But just as quickly, the black was replaced by the lights on the tree, and as Evie turned around, she saw Oliver standing at the entryway, Clark beside him with the turkey roaster, Lois standing in awe in front of the two men.

Peering towards Chloe, Evie grinned at seeing the way her friend's smile lit up the room more than the tree's lights as she looked at the man she loved. It had almost taken everything in Evie's arsenal, aside from manipulation, to help get them together, but the happiness in their expressions as they looked at each other, Evie couldn't help but be happy in that moment.

Someone clearing their throat brought Evie back to reality, and she turned towards her cousin holding out a gift for her. "It's not much, but... merry Christmas cuz."

Her mouth gaped as she looked down at the little gift in his hands. Normally, she would chuckle at his questionable wrapping skills, but this time, her words were lost as she wanted to refuse it. "Bart, I didn't..."

When Evie's voice trailed, Bart pushed it a little further. It wasn't much, but he still wanted to show his appreciation to his cousin after everything they gone through. Flashing his signature smile, he said, "You've been busy, but I know you're good for it."

Taking the gift into her hands, she smiled again, wrapping her arm around her cousin to pull him into a hug. "Thanks."

Bart backed away, eyeing Evie, wanting her to open it. So she obliged him and her mouth widened in surprise. "Bart..." she said, looking at the frame, holding a picture of the two cousins when they were younger. Smiles plastered on their faces, wearing Christmas sweaters, it painted a simpler time. "Thank you."

"Thank you," Bart replied, grateful for the reaction his gift had received. "The last couple of years would have been impossible without you."

Setting down the frame, Evie looked up towards the table, where everyone was setting up for dinner. "Come on," she said, "let's go eat."

* * *

><p><em><strong>December 31<strong>_

New Year's Eve at the Kent farm was always enjoyed by all, except there was always someone missing. At least this time, the guy had an excuse.

Granted, being shipwrecked likely qualified as a decent excuse on Oliver's part, but this year was supposed to be different. But business took him to Montreal for a 'quick trip' that had gone two days overdue.

Everyone tried to make the most of it for Chloe, but Evie knew it wasn't enough. Even the offer to bring Oliver here wasn't enough, as Chloe didn't want him to mess with the negotiations, knowing how big of a deal this was for Queen Industries. _It's just one night_, she'd say, and with that the conversation was dropped.

It was wrong, but Evie was glad that for once, it wasn't her that wore the expression that Chloe tried to hide from everyone. This was something that she could solve, she just wasn't sure how. So as she approached Chloe, the wheels in Evie's mind were turning.

"Are you sure that you're okay?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I just..." Hearing her voice trail, she decided to be honest with Evie. "I really should have gone with him, but I didn't think his business in Montreal would take so long." Feeling her phone buzz in her pocket, Chloe picked it up, smirking at the caller id. "Speak of the devil."

Evie watched as Chloe left the room, a smile gracing her features for the first time in awhile. Turning around, she noticed everyone talking, or in her cousin's case, eating like there was no tomorrow. That was when she realized that they had looked at this the wrong way. It would likely take some convincing, but Evie knew it would be worth it.

"Cuz, could you do me a favour?"

"What?" he replied, his mouth full of food, causing Evie to laugh a little before leaning over to whisper in Bart's ear. Initially, he wasn't pleased with the idea, but with a little reassurance, he nodded.

So Evie walked back over and quickly grabbed Chloe's phone from her hand. "Oliver, hey, how are you doing?"

Oliver was rightfully surprised at the change of callers. _"Fine Evie… is everything okay?"_

"Yep." Evie quickly looked over her shoulder, smiling when she noticed everything was going well so far. "I just didn't want Chloe hogging up all the call time. We're all friends after all, right?"

_"Of course."_

Wanting to have the small talk last a little longer, Evie fished for the first throw-away question she could find. "How's Montreal?"

She could hear him sigh on the other end, but he still replied optimistically, _"Not bad… definitely wish I could back in Smallville with you guys."_

Evie frowned, but upon seeing Bart shove snow off his shoulders, a sly grin quickly replaced it. "Well, I got Bart to send something your way. Should be outside your door."

There was a momentary pause on the line before Oliver asked, _"What is it?"_

"You'll see. Happy New Year Oliver, you deserve it," Evie replied, hanging up before he had a chance to respond. "Merry Christmas you two," she whispered as she turned Chloe's phone off before placing it down on the table.

She was about to join their own festivities when she noticed her cousin had failed to close the front door. Approaching it, Evie found herself mesmerized by the snow again.

Another year. As each day ticked by, she began to wonder more and more if she was living on borrowed time. It was only a matter of time before Lex made his move, and Evie wasn't sure how much longer she could stay hidden. Or, more importantly, how much longer she could protect everyone she cared about.

Walking out onto the porch in her sweater, Evie breathed in the cool air. She had dealt with colder weather conditions, so she leaned against the beam that lined the stairs, calmly looking at the landscape that lay beyond the steps of the Kent farm. But the creak of the front door implied that she wouldn't be alone for long.

"Hey," Clark called out from the doorway, but when Evie didn't react, he came closer.

"How do you do it?" Evie asked, still facing away from him.

That question had a thousand possible answers, and Clark wasn't about to jump to any conclusions. He knew what Evie was going through, and he wanted to know for sure what she meant. "What?"

"Stay sane," Evie replied, "Your secret could be revealed any day. Your life... turned completely upside down." Sighing, she finally turned so that her profile was in line with where Clark was standing. "I know I've lived the life too... but you make it look so easy."

"It's not easy... far from it." Leaning on the other side of the entryway, Clark rolled his eyes as to how many times he had made questionable decisions. "Chloe can attest to the times I've broken down, Lois too."

"Yeah, I guess." Evie was more than aware of Clark's mistakes, it was how she got to meet Chloe in the first place, but while the status of her secret was always in question... Clark always seemed to have his under control. "I'm sorry, with New Year's and all, it's easy for me to jump to the worst case scenario. I wish I didn't but I think the other shoe is just waiting to drop."

Clark understood the mentality, but he told her, "You can't worry about that." The resulting glare he received was expected, so he justified his comment, "Easier said than done— absolutely. But it doesn't make it any less true."

She sighed again, standing up straight. "You're right." After a few steps towards the door, she paused, looking over her shoulder to look at Clark. "Thanks... I know we don't talk much but really... thank you Clark."

"Anytime, Evie," he replied. "You've done more for me than I think I could ever give back so if you ever need to talk, I'm here."

With that, they both returned inside the house, with Evie feeling much more refreshed. She took her shoes off, carefully settling them aside before heading towards the kitchen for a glass of water.

Watching the glass fill up, Evie took a deep breath, realizing that she should ignore her insecurities for one night and truly celebrate what tonight was. For while it was easy to be afraid, to run away, she had come too far to go back now. No matter what it took... this time she would fight and she would win.

Finding her confidence again, she turned the tap off before walking back towards the main room. But she wasn't watching where she was going and she felt herself bump into someone, causing the glass to fall from her hands, shattering on the floor.

"Sorry," she said, slightly flustered as she backed away.

Victor leaned his head down, catching the pink hue that rose from her cheeks. "You okay?"

She nodded, wanting to push all his worry aside. "Yeah." Lately, things had been great between them. No freak-outs or irrational crying sessions on her part, which meant that they could just talk, be their sense of normal. "It's easy to get reflective on New Year's." It was the truth, and it kept the mood still relatively light.

Kneeling down to grab the loose glass pieces, Victor asked, "Nervous?"

"Not anymore," Evie said honestly, grabbing the nearest garbage bin so there was an easy disposal system for the broken glass. "If the last... however many years have taught me anything... it's to be grateful for every day you have." Kneeling down to help him, she added, "I got more than I ever expected."

She noticed Victor open his mouth in response, but Clark's voice interrupted him. "Everything okay here?"

Evie rolled her eyes, not surprised that the others heard the crash the glass had made. "Yeah, just a complete klutz attack."

Clark wasn't initially convinced, but when Evie nodded, he believed her. Pointing his thumb towards the door, he said, "We're heading to the barn to prepare the fireworks."

Victor dropped another piece of glass in the garbage before looking over his shoulder. "We'll be right there."

Clark nodded, and was about to leave when he heard Evie's voice. "Clark, where's your first aid kit?" He was about to ask why when Victor answered his question.

"Evie, it's fine."

She scoffed as she grabbed his hand before rotating his arm to show the place where a piece of glass had embedded in his skin. "It's the right arm at least, but I'm not letting that get infected." If the other arm had been cut, it wouldn't have been blood clotting, but the fluid maintaining his parts.

Clark flashed away momentarily but came back to hand Evie the kit. "Here."

"Thanks Clark," she replied with a smile, pulling Victor up with her. "I've got it from here." Looking towards the other tiny shards of glass, Evie telekinetically lifted them up to put it in the garbage.

So Clark left, leaving Evie and Victor alone in the house. She tilted her head towards the kitchen table, and Victor followed her to sit down so she could start treating the wound. Victor was more than capable of doing it, but he knew that Evie wouldn't have it.

As she pulled the glass out, Victor bit his tongue, but the pain was short. When she turned her head away, he asked, "How did you even know?" He had felt the glass cut, but he didn't want to worry her, so he made sure to hide it from Evie, but to no avail.

Her eyes widened as she started placing the gauze against his arm. "I... might have... you know..." Evie knew there was no reason to lie to Victor, she wasn't great at it anyway, and he'd likely figure it out anyway. "I only did it because I wanted to make sure that you weren't worried about me."

Victor smirked as he noticed Evie blush again, but initially he didn't say anything back. He knew the way she was with her abilities and Evie didn't use her telepathy often. But his eyes locked momentarily as he noticed something.

The kitchen wasn't lit too well, but the moon was bringing light to a scar that Evie hadn't covered. Being winter, she didn't fret about covering them up, but she had pulled the sleeve of her sweater back to treat his arm and it was on full display.

Lifting his other hand to trace a finger down the outline, he felt Evie twitch under the contact. She stopped moving and looked up in confusion. Victor didn't meet her eyes, feeling a twinge of guilt hit him. "Things will get better, I promise."

Looking down, Evie noticed what Victor was looking at, but she knew why Victor would say that. Finishing up her work on Victor's arm, Evie now realized that maybe she did overreact, as it was a mild cut compared to some of the things they had been through.

Standing up, she watched Victor follow suit, so she gave him a quick embrace. "I know," she whispered, her head resting on his shoulder.

After a second, she felt Victor turn his head towards her, so she froze momentarily, surprised when she felt him kiss her cheek as she backed away.

The way he saw it was that it was her first New Year's in a while that she had been single. Sure, they were friends, but Victor knew he didn't want Evie to feel like this one was any different. Even in the smallest action, he wanted her to know always that her life was still okay. "It's not midnight I know, but... Happy New Year." Holding out his hand, Victor figured they better get outside to enjoy the fireworks, there wasn't much time left if memory served him correct.

She was still confused, but she soon found a smile as she took his hand. "Happy New Year."

**~0~**

Staring at his phone, Oliver had to admit, he felt a little confused. First was Evie's abrupt interruption, which wasn't like her, then the short conversation, but his curiosity got the best of him. With a single look to acknowledge the torrential snowstorm outside his window, Oliver went to the door, wondering how Evie, or more likely Bart, knew which door to leave his package. It was one of those hotels with multiple penthouses, and there were at least two other doors to choose from.

Turning the handle, he looked down to find nothing, but looking up again, he saw a flash of a person turning the corner. Narrowing his eyes, Oliver stepped out of his room, walking down the hallway until he aligned with the corner. He peeked around it just the slightest, but it was enough for Evie's cryptic comment to make sense.

Apparently, the door dilemma was an issue, as whom else but Chloe stood in the hallway, looking back and forth between the door in front of her and towards the opposite corner.

Oliver silently chuckled, smiling at her discomfort, and while he wanted to tell her he was standing here, there was something about watching her that stopped him. Instead, he walked a couple steps towards her, careful not to make any sounds, even though he thought he was caught when she heard her voice.

"Damn it Evie, why did you have to take my phone?"

It was hard enough standing here, knowing that she was close enough to him, but not knowing his room number kyboshed any plan of actually knocking on a door. Sure, it was New Year's Eve, but it was still late, which meant that she could wake someone up, or interrupt activities already in progress.

She had almost knocked on a door, but she heard footsteps coming towards her so Chloe panicked. Tired of looking around, she backed up against the wall across from one particular door and sighed. Leaning her head back against the wall, she closed her eyes, wondering what the heck she was supposed to do, when she felt like she was being stared at.

Opening her eyes slowly, she looked to her left and finally she saw him, which only meant one thing. She had picked the right door and played chicken. The footsteps were coming towards her because Evie told Oliver she was here, so he was coming to let her in. Chloe had just been too stupid to see it.

Pushing herself off the wall, she titled her head, grinning as she approached him. "Hey."

"Hey."

She pushed the side of her mouth with her tongue as she reminded herself of her earlier actions. "Sorry for bailing at your door."

"Well," Oliver replied, standing close enough to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "if Evie said that she had sent some_one _instead of something, I would have come faster."

Chloe chuckled. "She can be a little puzzling sometimes, can't she?"

Oliver just grinned as he stared down at her, only to feel it tug further when he noticed her eyes had met his. "What time is it?"

Confused to his question, Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Does it matter?"

For once, it actually did. Oliver looked away for a split second, kept his ear out for any sounds of celebrations before he looked back at her. "Don't want to jump the gun. If my memory serves me right, patience –"

* * *

><p><em>Sera's Scribbles: The next chapter is giving me a little trouble, so it may be a little while (by which I mean 1-2 weeks, not 6 months) until I get it up. Other than that, it should be relatively smooth sailing from here... but we have a long ways to go.<em>


	12. January part 1

**January**

_**January 1**_

Patience, it's a virtue, or so they say. But in that moment, Chloe didn't care about patience, or waiting a couple seconds. She just wanted him, and that's why she didn't wait for Oliver to finished his clichéd thought.

Quickly thrust onto her tiptoes, she threw her arms around his neck and brought his head down as their lips collided. Oliver caught on almost immediately, giving as much back as he could, and Chloe could practically hear the smirk on his face once they let go. "You have no idea how many years I've wanted to do that."

Chloe lightly chuckled, her tongue sticking out momentarily. "Sorry for stealing your thunder then."

"Hardly," Oliver countered as he threaded his fingers through her hair. "You initiating it actually makes it a little better. Saves the guessing game."

"Guessing game?" Chloe asked with her eyebrows raised.

"Oh... you know... recent heartbreak et al." Every time, it had been really crappy timing, or Oliver had spent the moment staring at the sky by himself. Even this year, it seemed like the tradition would have to wait, but he had to hand it to his friends... he owed them one.

Her eyes narrowed, Chloe began to work her fingers across the shirt material on his chest. "And today applies how exactly?" Last she checked, heartbreak had been far from her agenda for the last little while and she thought she had made herself fairly clear about who she wanted.

Oliver knew all that, but he just wanted to point out their history, and show Chloe just how long he had waited for her, even thought he did screw up along the way. With a shrug, he said, "One can never be too careful," despite the fact Oliver knew he had nothing to worry about.

"So tell me," she said, her finger slowly undoing the first few buttons on Oliver's shirt. "Are we planning on standing on here all night?"

"Course not." Oliver began to walk backwards, taking Chloe with him. "That would be an awful waste of a suite."

Once they reached the door, Oliver was grateful that he left it open so that he didn't have to fiddle with his key card. However, after he shut the door, Oliver turned Chloe quickly so that her back hit the wall.

"How didn't _we _think of this?" he asked, burying his head against her neck, kissing up her jawline. "Private vacation, just you... me... no phones."

Lifting her head to provide him better access, Chloe felt herself holding her breath as he continued to kiss her. "Last I checked, you do have your phone."

Feeling Chloe finish undoing the last button his shirt, Oliver moved his hands away to shrug his shirt from his arms. "Trust me... not planning on answering it now, because my hands will be otherwise occupied with –" His words quickly stopped as he reached down her pants to find her underwear, only to realize that Chloe wasn't wearing any.

When his eyes found hers, Chloe casually shrugged. "I figured you'd be back." It sounded silly, but crazier things had occurred since she met Oliver, so she held out on the possibility. After all, he usually ended up wrecking her underwear anyway.

So Oliver finished the job while Chloe slipped her shirt above her head, leaving her clad only in her bra. She thought about taking it off, but when Oliver teased her thighs as he worked his way back up her body, she stopped, feeling her head tilt back as far as she could.

"I love you," Oliver murmured between kisses he laid on her chest, noticing how Chloe had moved onto removing his pants. Nimble fingers would strip Oliver of the remainder of his clothes and as Oliver stepped out of them, he noticed her taking the slightest glance down.

With mischievous eyes, he took hold of the clasp of her bra, undoing it without hesitation. By the time it had fallen to the floor, Oliver lowered his mouth to cover her nipple, listening to how Chloe hitched her breath in response.

His hands had returned to her lower body, and the heat between her thighs was already noticeable. That was what happened when Oliver was gone. And as pathetic as that sounded, the truth was that she missed him. More than she would ever admit, but as she felt him approaching her clit, she felt her balance slipping, so she reached forward, grabbing his bicep and holding on as his fingers pumped in and out of her body.

When he sensed that she was close to her climax, Oliver picked up the pace, not wanting her to be on the edge for too long. Oliver loved these moments, looking at her face and seeing the utter look of satisfaction. People always said that it was better to give than to receive, maybe not in this context, but Chloe was the first person he wanted to give everything to. So having her like this right now, to see the way he made her feel, was more than he could have ever asked.

Sensing that she was a little weak in the knees, Oliver lifted her up in the air, taking her lips to his as the approached the bedroom. They fell back on the bed, with Oliver quickly changing positions. Raising his body over her, Oliver momentarily lost himself as he stared into her eyes. Skimming a finger down her cheek, he smiled. "Happy New Year Chloe."

"You too, Ollie," Chloe said back, bringing his head down to allow for their lips to meet again.

**~0~**

Feeling Oliver's arm tighten around her waist, Chloe opened her eyes, tilting her head up to look at him. "I... thought you'd be working."

"We finished the deal yesterday, but torrential snowstorms shut down the airport." He noticed Chloe open her mouth, but Oliver had a feeling where this was going. "I know there were other methods of transportation, but I figured we'd celebrate when I got back. Safe to say I think this will do."

Chloe nodded as she turned her body, moving up to kiss Oliver. It started to deepen when a familiar buzzing sound started across the room. Groaning, Oliver pulled back. "Right, I forgot that was still on."

Pulling back, she said, "Get it; it could be important." She knew that they would have enough time when he finished what he needed to. So she watched silently as Oliver slipped the sheets back to answer his phone, not even bothering to try and cover himself.

Fortunately, his phone wasn't too far away, but what did surprise Oliver was the fact it was Lois calling. He put his phone to his ear, but once Lois heard him breath, she didn't allow him to get any words in. "_Well, it's about time Queen." _Again, Oliver went to interject, but she continued,_ "I've been informed Chloe's with you. I have news."_

Coming back into the bedroom, Oliver looked at the way Chloe remained in the bed, waiting for him. Knowing the way the cousins talked, he was kind of hoping to have some privacy this time, so he asked, "Can it wait?" not expecting it to work.

To his surprise, his answer came from Chloe. "Probably not." She noticed the way he looked at her, which narrowed easily who was on the phone. Evie knew better than to interrupt and there was only one other person who would brave it right now.

When Lois indirectly agreed with Chloe's comment, Oliver gave up and passed Chloe his phone. Bringing the phone to her ear, she made sure to get the first word in. "Lois... you have ten minutes before I'm turning the phone –"

_"Clark proposed!"_

It wasn't a scream, but Lois definitely increased the volume of her voice enough to cause Chloe to squint her eyes from it. Initially, she wasn't even sure if she heard right. "Wait... what?"

There was a slight chuckle on the other end as Lois lowered her voice. _"I might have said yes."_

Chloe blinked in disbelief, as she didn't expect Lois to be this excited about it. "Wow!" Not only that, it got her thinking back to how Clark and Lois started to get along. For months, they could barely speak to each other, and now...now it was clear that time could accomplish just about anything.

Excitement out the way, Lois got right to business. _"Now of course you're my maid of honour, and I was hoping to use this time to figure out a date out of both you and your boyfriend's crazy schedules."_

Sensing that this phone call would take longer than her prior proposed time limit, Chloe said calmly, "Lois..."

But her cousin didn't hear her. _"There's also the guest list, the colour scheme and dress shopping and all that."_

"Lois!" Chloe repeated, harsher this time.

_"But you really need to get your butt over here because the long distance charges are—"_

With that, Chloe hung up the phone without saying goodbye. Turning it off, she tossed the phone aside as she lay back down on the bed, back in Oliver's arms.

Wrapping his arm around her side, pulling her closer again, Oliver said softly, "So Boy Scout proposed?"

Chloe's eyes narrowed as she peered up at him. "You heard that?"

Her surprise caused Oliver to chuckle under his breath. "Lois' voice goes a long way." Rubbing his hand on the small of her back, he added, "She's not going to like the fact that you hung up on her."

That was true, but Chloe didn't care. They could figure all that when they got back. "You did say we were on a mini-vacation, and if we keep your phone on..." Chloe lifted her body off the mattress to straddle Oliver, smiling as her entire body was on display. "We'll never get anywhere."

Eyeing each curve of her figure before she lowered herself down to him, Oliver felt himself grin back. "That just won't do."

"So glad you understand," Chloe replied, her eyes darkening before she covered his lips with hers. Today was going to be about them and they weren't going to let anyone else distract them from that.

* * *

><p><em><strong>January 4<strong>_

So maybe one day wasn't _quite _enough for Chloe and Oliver, as she insisted that they stayed a little while. She had never been to Montreal before, so they checked out the sights outside their hotel room for a couple days, making it clear to everyone in Kansas that they would be back soon and they weren't to be disturbed.

But when they landed a couple of hours ago, Chloe realized, despite being on a plane for hours already, she had to take the trek out to congratulate Lois. But first, she figured that she'd stop at Metro for her coffee.

The familiar chime welcomed her to the cafe, but that was nothing in comparison to Evie's reaction when she noticed who it was. Rushing over, she practically tackled Chloe to the floor. "Oh thank god you're back."

Chloe had to chuckle as she patted her friend's back lightly. "Remember, you were the one who –"

"Yes, I'm fully aware," Evie said as she looked over her shoulder, glad for the one second of silence she had today. "But I wasn't planning on Clark proposing."

It was really beautiful actually, as the fireworks were up in the air. Evie and Victor were running late, but they caught up with the crowd as Clark kneeled down and Lois enthusiastically said yes the moment Clark was done with the question.

However, that was before Lois went into bride-mode. Everything was coming together already, from guest lists to managing to figure out a date. And with Chloe gone, Evie had been the person of choice to go through these things with Lois.

"Is that Chloe?" Lois' voice called out as she emerged from the bathroom. "Finally, it took you long enough to –"

"Lois, before you start with your ramblings." Chloe smiled as her cousin stopped talking. "Can I just squeeze in a congrats?" She was grateful that she didn't make the trek down to Smallville for nothing, but based on her prior conversation with her cousin and Evie's reaction to her return, Chloe knew it was best to get her words in early.

Lois matched her smile. "Of course, but now that's done..."

When she had turned around to handle what seemed to be quite the arrangement of stuff on the cafe table, Evie couldn't help but laugh. She wasn't sure what she did to deserve a bride-to-be taking over the place she worked. If it wasn't for the fact her boss was a hopeless romantic, Lois might have been kicked out. "Welcome to what I've had to deal with for the last couple of days."

Managing to hold back her own laughter, Chloe said, "You could have stopped it, you know." It would have happened through unorthodox methods, but Evie was capable of bringing Lois down a notch.

"And risk the wrath of Lois Lane? I'll pass." Even if she didn't prefer to let things happen naturally, Evie knew better than to mess with Lois. As she looked over her shoulder at Lois again, she felt herself grin before adding quietly, "But the first time we met... I admit... I was _very_ tempted."

**~0~**

After a long board teleconference, Oliver hung up his phone, surprised to hear a knock at his door seconds after. Knowing that Lauren was on her lunch break, he called out, "Come on in."

When the door did open, Oliver was finishing up some paperwork before he glanced up, his eyes widening upon seeing his guest. "Clark... to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Seeing that Oliver gestured for him to sit down, Clark shook his head. As important as this visit was, he knew he wouldn't be long. "We may not always see eye-to-eye on things, but you're a good friend." Their friendship had come a long way, and he never expected to get along with a billionaire, but with time, he learned to understand the decisions Oliver had made. "You've kept my secret, and have been willing to overlook my nearsightedness and accept...me."

Oliver flashed a smile as he pushed out his office chair. "You've seen my team right? Super-powerful alien seemed to fit right in." Standing up, Oliver walked around his desk. "But I get what you're saying, and it's no problem. You're important to Chloe, and honestly, you're a good man Clark."

The man had his faults, but so did Oliver, and the one thing they had in common was even in their mistakes, they had the best intentions.

"I was wondering if... well... because you know about Lois' and my wedding." Clark wanted to roll his eyes at the stutter in his voice, so he cleared his throat and asked the question straight out. "I was wondering if you'd be my best man."

Oliver hesitated a second, not because he wasn't flattered, but rather that Clark didn't have anyone else to ask. But in the patrols lately, Oliver noticed that he and the boy scout worked well together. Not only that, but Clark also didn't seem to have many guys in his life, or really anyone in his life. He kept to himself, as Chloe was his rock in high school, and besides Lois, who became the person he could rely on most, that pretty much left Oliver and his team.

However, Oliver was extremely happy for the couple, so he didn't wait too long to crack a smile in order to calm Clark's nerves. "I'd be honoured. I'll even set up an appointment with my tailor." Opening his planner, Oliver found the number as another idea popped in his head. "And potentially with my other tailor... you know you look completely ridiculous in that black get-up right?"

To his surprise, Clark actually laughed once before saying, "How about we stay on topic here? Because honestly, there's no need for you to—"

"Probably not, but I insist," Oliver interjected, closing his planner to look at Clark again. The guy was always used to closing himself off from help, if nothing else, his hesitance with the team proved that. "You're committing to a lifetime of Lois Lane, a concept I commend you for... but trust me... you'll want a good suit." Seeing Clark's expression change, Oliver added, "How's next month sound?"

Realizing that the other man had a point, Clark wasn't about to refuse the offer this time. "Sounds... great."

* * *

><p><em>Stay Tuned for part 2<em>

* * *

><p><em>Sera's Scribbles: First off, an apology. I'm sorry for the delay, but the truth is, I stared at this chapter... for 6 months. While other chapters were getting editedchanged during my hiatus, despite the length of the finished product, this sat practically unwritten. I wanted this standout Chlollie moment... but I'm not sure if it ever came... which is why I usually avoid M-rated stuff like the plague. Hopefully what's posted above is okay. _


	13. January part 2

_**January 17**_

Evie had no idea how she got here, wherever _here _was. At least she was in her car, and it looked like she had at least drove here by herself. Opening the door, it looked like a regular suburban neighbourhood, but nothing distinctive to trigger Evie's memory as she looked around.

Then it happened again, as next thing she knew, she was standing in front of a door, her hand withdrawing from the doorbell. She looked at the house, then down at her hands, wondering if another ability was manifesting in front of her eyes. It was ridiculous, because Evie thought she had enough as it was, but the world had never missed an opportunity to play cruel jokes on her, so why would it stop now?

Shaking her head, Evie wanted to turn away, but when she heard footsteps, she figured the least she could do is say that she had the wrong house. Except when the woman opened the door, she stepped aside. Smiling at Evie, she said, "Please come in."

This was getting stranger by the second, as Evie didn't recognize the woman, so she remained in her place, about to stick to her plan, when another woman appeared in the hallway, stopping any words.

"Emily," she said calmly and suddenly everything made sense.

Despite her prior hesitance, she stepped inside the house, still blinking in disbelief. "Mrs. Sullivan, it's been a long time." Taking off her shoes, Evie looked back towards the woman who opened the door.

"Joanne, my nurse," Moira answered, figuring that question had to be on her mind.

"Nice to meet you," Joanne said, closing the door and leaving the two women alone in the entryway.

Moira led Evie to the living room, where Evie sat down across from the older woman, still trying to believe what she was experiencing. For years, she never even thought about her, as there were enough problems in her life without worrying about another person's safety. Even now, when things felt like the other shoe was dangling over her head, she hardly had answers for where and what happened to her.

She was the only visitor Evie ever had in 33.1, and despite what guards told her, Moira insisted on maintaining strength, on not giving in. Defiance may hurt more, but it meant survival in the cells. Although this place was far from a cell.

Moira watched Evie as she took in the place. It wasn't a surprise to see the shock on her face, although she could hardly believe it when she had seen Evie grace the background of magazine covers. It seemed her confidence was higher than she believed possible, or at least it used to be. She was still scared, which was apparent even now. There were so many days Moira wanted to take her with her, to keep her safe from all this, but her deal with Lionel was very limited. It was a stretch enough that he offered to keep her safe, even from his own son, but as Lionel seemed to be having a change of heart, Moira thought there was an outside chance that maybe he would reconsider. It never happened.

Shaking her head, Evie finally found her voice as she noticed something familiar in Moira's hands. "I can't believe you've held onto that after all this time." In Moira's hands was the hair pin Evie had been wearing the day she was taken. It wasn't much; in fact, it was one of the last pieces of home she had, buried in her scraggly hair, somehow lost when they stripped her down of everything that made her Emily.

Moira thought about refusing it, but Evie had insisted back then, wanting at least one person knowing that she was alive, that she would fight and someday, she would find her to get it back. While Moira understood why the latter never happened, she still wanted to fulfill it. The girl gave her a chance to be a mother again even if they weren't related. In those few moments together, Evie gave her the only happiness she knew since she abandoned her own daughter to protect her.

Except it didn't look like it was going to be enough, for as much as Moira wanted this to be a celebratory visit, there was more going on. However, that didn't stop her from asking, "How is Chloe?"

"She's happy," Evie replied, knowing that would matter most and not the hard days that she had to experience to get to this point. She let out a sigh as she thought about all the times she had considered telling Chloe about her mother, but she held back, knowing it would never bring Moira back into her life because Evie had no idea where she was. "She has no idea what you sacrificed for her."

"Nice try, but I can't see her." It was too late to go back, to try and salvage a relationship with her daughter now. Even if she did go back, it wasn't like things would ever be normal again anyway.

Evie had expected that reaction, but she knew what her friend deserved was the truth. Moira deserved to let her daughter know why she left her at such a young age. Besides, she knew that, "Chloe can protect you; she has resources to get you the best care there is."

Looking around the place she had called home for so many years, Moira replied, "Lionel, or rather, Dr. Lee, had set me up fine here." Her location was one of the few things that they recorded off the books as they worked on a cure for her condition. When that didn't happen, Joanne was the only company she had known for years.

However, her words stunned the woman sitting across from her. Evie tried to speak, but the words didn't come out. The man who helped save her life... he was her doctor? "Does that mean...?"

"The condition was real, but when he thought about suicide, I knew I had to intervene." His condition would have involved months upon months of pain, and for the doctor who always seemed to be working in the wrong place, Moira thought he deserved better. So she asked of him what she couldn't, to save the lives of the people who brought life to her eyes. "Everything was of his own accord."

"Mrs. Sullivan..."

"I was hoping you could help me," Moira interjected, not knowing how much longer she would be able to ask.

Evie's eyes narrowed, as she could see the nerves in the older woman's body were increasing. "By doing what exactly?"

Taking a deep breath, Moira started to tell Evie the truth about her condition, the fact that she had lived most of these years in a catatonic state that helped prevent people from exploiting her ability. Moira was still safe from Lex, as she knew he was still alive because the way he framed his accident was too obvious, but she wasn't about to take any chances.

"Lex wants the serum that takes me out of my catatonic state to have full control his 33.1 subjects. There's only one vial left, and I want to you to take it... in the case of an emergency." Reaching behind her neck, Moira unclasped her necklace and handed it to Evie. "I don't trust it with anyone else."

It took Evie a second to realize what the necklace really was, but Evie took it, flattered by her words. But she wasn't going to leave just yet. "What about Chloe?"

Moira's eyes widened as she heard her name again. "What about her?"

Gripping the pendant in her hand, she thought about the trust Moira put in her. It was that kind of trust that her own daughter deserved. "You can't make me lie to her about this, the fact that you're alive, and within driving distance."

"I can make you forget all this."

Evie's eyes moved down to the pin still gripped in her fingers, and Evie knew she was right. But that didn't mean she was about to back down either, because there was something that Moira needed to know. "If you do, I'll still remember that she's meteor infected."

"Pardon?"

Rising from her chair, Evie knelt down in front of Moira, grabbing her hands, squeezing them hard. "Please... you can come back, or Oliver can get you into a better facility, but I swear to you that you'll be safe." After a deep breath, she looked up, meeting the older woman's eyes. "More than anything, she deserves the truth... from you."

**~0~**

Pulling to a stop, Evie picked up her phone, dialling Chloe's cell number for what would likely lead to another tough conversation. It didn't take long for her to pick it up. _"Evie? I've been trying to call you all day."_

Looking over to her company in her vehicle, Evie shook her head. She was really glad that she didn't have to make up an excuse for why she wasn't there helping Chloe. "Are you at Watchtower right now?" Evie knew that bringing Moira to Watchtower could have consequences, but it was the securest place Evie was aware of, and she was willing to take the chance in this case.

_"Where else would I be?"_

Nodding towards Moira to exit the vehicle, Evie followed suit, deciding to cut to the chase. "Chloe, I knew your mother," she said as she slammed her car door.

Suddenly, there was a quick stop to her keyboard typing. _"What? How?"_

Entering the building, Evie and Moira started approaching the elevators. "I've only known since Thanksgiving and I swear that I would have told you more if I knew more, but the truth... the truth isn't good enough."

_"Why are you telling me this now?"_

"Because she reached out to me... and she decided that it's time for her to explain some things." As they stepped into the elevator, Evie added, "So you may want to go lax on the security detail on the elevators."

Sure enough, Chloe had worked fast as the elevator worked faster than it normally did. The doors opened slowly and the double doors followed suit, followed by Chloe running into the hallway, stopping upon realizing her mother was standing there.

Moira exited the elevator first, tears brimming in her eyes, as it had been a very long time since she had seen her daughter like this. "You've grown up so much."

"Why?" Chloe asked as she couldn't believe her eyes. All those years without a mother and all this time her father had been dead and yet she still didn't come back. Now, she was here and Chloe couldn't figure out why.

"I thought I was protecting you. And look at you." A deep breath later as she felt her pride grow further, she wrapped her arms around her daughter. "I wish your father could have seen this, see the incredible woman you've become." She felt guilty missing her husband's funeral, but she couldn't. It would have been the easiest scenario for Lex to find her and Moira didn't want to see Chloe only to lose her just as fast.

Unfortunately, Chloe didn't see it the same way. "You could have come back." Whatever her mother was afraid of, she knew they would have found a way. They had hid Victor for years, not to mention hiding Evie's and Clark's respective secrets from Lex. It was a different scenario, sure, but between Chloe's and Oliver's resources, they would have found a way.

"I'm afraid that I couldn't... this is a big risk as it is."

Finally stepping out of the elevator, not wanting to wreck the reunion, Evie frowned slightly, knowing she would never get that chance to see her mother again. Watching them go into Watchtower together, Evie closed the double doors, sitting outside to give them the privacy they deserved, no matter how much her chest hurt at the memory of standing at her mom's funeral from a distance.

**~0~**

For fifteen minutes, Evie had killed time playing on her phone, but that all changed when she heard Chloe cry out, "Mom?" Jumping from her spot, Evie raced into the room, seeing the sight she expected. Her friend's hands were touching her mother's cheeks, staring straight into her eyes. "Mom? Please wake up."

Frowning, Evie felt herself swallow hard before admitting, "I thought we had more time."

Eyes flickering up, Chloe soon found her feet, at least slightly relieved that this wasn't completely abnormal. "You knew?"

Evie nodded. "She wanted it to be as natural as possible. It was the only way I could get her to agree to come here." Shaking her head as she approached the couch where Moira was sitting. "If I would have known, I..."

Upon seeing Moira's expression, Evie couldn't finish that sentence. Her distant eyes almost broke her heart, as Evie wished she would have dragged her to the car and gotten the explanation on the way if it meant Chloe had more time with her.

Seeing the way her friend had choked up, Chloe held back her own emotions, placing a hand on Evie's shoulder. "She didn't want to be found... you can't blame yourself for that."

"Chloe, I've been your friend for years... and I had _no idea _who your mother was."

Maybe that should be something she should have known, maybe normal friendships usually include those pieces of information. But they had always been a little off the normalcy scale. "You trusted me, respected my privacy, just like I did you." After all, Chloe didn't know a thing about Evie's mother, besides the fact that she passed away almost a year ago.

Evie wanted to believe that what Chloe was saying would cover everything, but she couldn't. "It shouldn't be that easy."

Chloe laughed under her breath, knowing it was a serious matter. "When has our friendship _ever_ been easy?" From the beginning, there were unusual obstacles, but there was one thing that Chloe always knew, it was that they protected each other at all costs. "You _are _my friend and despite all the crap that's going on right now, you can rely on me."

It took a second to find her smile, but Evie looked back towards Moira, still trying to grasp the day's events in her head. "How did it go?"

"I got some answers... and... she's alive." Sitting next to her, Chloe grabbed her mother's hand. It wasn't the way she had dreamed about seeing her mother again when she was little, but it was more than she ever expected.

"Here," Evie said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out Moira's necklace. "She entrusted it to me... but you should have this." When Chloe didn't take it and only stared at it in confusion, Evie further explained, "This pendant contains the drug that wakes her up. Maybe Emil can make something out of this."

Slowly moving her fingers to grasp the pendant, Chloe bit her lip as she turned her head to look at her mother again. "Thank you," she said softly to Evie, knowing that if she could help it, she would find a way to allow her mother to live again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>January 19<strong>_

Another long day at the office, but Oliver knew it was even longer for his girlfriend. She insisted that he went to work, but the silence on his phone and the fact he kept checking the time meant one thing. He had to be here.

The elevator opened and Oliver entered their penthouse, but no sign of Chloe anywhere. He looked around, but he eventually found himself in front of the bedroom door, which was closed. Knocking lightly, he waited a few seconds to say, "Chloe? Are you in there?"

It took a minute for Oliver to hear movement in the room and Oliver thought about opening the door, but before he could, Chloe opened it. "Hey," she whispered. "You're supposed to be at work."

Oliver quickly shook his head as he stepped towards her, wrapping her arms around her back, pulling her close. Feeling her lean her forehead against his chest, he asked softly, "How are you?"

"It hurts seeing her leave again," Chloe replied. "But it's for the best." Her mother was safe now, away from Lex's clutches, away from harm. Even better was the fact that her mom told her that she trusted Chloe enough to let find her the best care for her and that she could visit whenever she wanted. If nothing else, that admission felt a lot better than goodbye.

Emil even agreed to search high and low for a solution for her mother, but Chloe's expectations weren't high. From what Evie had told her, it seemed like her mother was content in her state, and her mother made it clear how much she loved Chloe. That would have to be enough.

"I love you," Oliver said before kissing the top of her head. He knew today would be tough on Chloe, hence why she took some time off work, but Oliver hoped that he could make today at least a little easier to bear.

The facility was just a start, as keeping Mrs. Sullivan safe was more than a priority. He may have never spoken with the woman while she was awake, but he could sense the love she felt for her daughter. In their few moments together, when Chloe introduced him to her... Oliver knew, there was an expectation there. To keep loving Chloe, to never let her go, and that wasn't going to be a problem, as Oliver had every intention of fulfilling that expectation.

"Love you too," she replied easily, barely feeling a smile on her lips as he squeezed her tighter.

* * *

><p><em><strong>January 30<strong>_

They had been preparing for this, but it didn't seem to make a real difference. The press hadn't broken yet, but the whole LuthorCorp building was buzzing. People would look at Oliver and give him strange looks, even turn to whisper to the person next to them.

It didn't faze him, if it would have, then Oliver was in the wrong profession. He knew at this point where to find the cause of the distraction, so he calmly continued down the hallway to his office.

Opening the door, Oliver noticed that Lex didn't disappoint in the slightest, as he racked up every possible cliché.

Sitting in the chair behind the desk, leaning back slightly, his arms on each armrest, his fingers intertwined in a relaxed position. The smirk on his face didn't disappoint either, as the other man took in Oliver's appearance in the doorway.

"Why hello Oliver," he said plainly, as if it was any other day in the week, as if the men weren't enemies in every sense of the word.

"Lex," Oliver replied back calmly. He assumed that Lex would somehow expect some sort of surprise or shock from Oliver, but he had what one would call a short memory, even without the continued effort of destroying 33.1 or Evie's backstory.

But Lex's smirk just widened at the greeting, as he pulled back the chair, standing up to practically mark his territory where he stood. Out of the many things Lex didn't plan on during his hiatus, the fact Oliver Queen's name was on his office door stung the most.

Oliver didn't want to play whatever game Lex had in mind, because he had work to do and he didn't have the luxury of waiting around for Lex to make his move. Stepping into the office, Oliver avoided the other man's gaze. "If you want to see Tess, her office is down the hall." Placing his briefcase down on the other side of the desk, Oliver peered to his left, now glaring at Lex. "Otherwise, please feel free to shut the door on your way out."

Lex's laugh soon echoed the room, a sinister sound alone, not to mention the look that persisted on his face. "I'm well-aware, thank you, but don't get too comfortable."

To Oliver's surprise, Lex began to move away from the desk, but he wasn't leaving without at least one more jab. "This is _my _company, and I prefer not to have it dirtied by your reputation."

At that, Oliver couldn't help but chuckle. "Haven't you had a chance to read any reputable newspapers in your hiatus? Even most of the LuthorCorp senior staff knows that's yesterday's news."

It had taken plenty of work and perseverance, but Oliver knew most of the staff here had come around to him being in charge. He wasn't going to let anyone make that work for nothing, nor was he going to allow Lex to just step back into his old life that easily, especially after everything his family had done to people Oliver cared about. "Besides, you and I both know your hands aren't the cleanest."

"Really?" Lex asked, not surprised by the accusation, considering the man's girlfriend, but they were nothing but empty threats. "Prove it then."

Stepping towards Lex, Oliver wanted to be clear. "I will one day, and the world will see you as the menace you really are." Whether it was in a suit or green leather, Oliver wanted to ensure Lex got the justice he deserved.

Lex just stood there, as that wasn't the first time someone had said such things to him. In fact, he had expected as much from Oliver. After all, it wasn't like Queen would easily forget the last time Lex's name was associated in his life, something he planned to use to his advantage. "Is that why you're with Chloe?"

He noticed Oliver's eyebrow raise just slightly, enough of a break in Lex's book, so he continued to poke the bear. "Because you two always had a way of sticking your face in matters that didn't concern you. We _both _know how that ended last time."

And that was all Lex needed, as Oliver reached forward for Lex's collar, pulling him up. It seemed that despite the changes in Oliver Queen's life, he still had his temper. "It appears I hit a nerve," Lex managed, despite his position.

He could see the anger in Oliver's eyes, but it faded fast after Lex's words, and he felt his feet fully hit the ground again. "Good boy," Lex quipped, ready to make his exit now with no other action than a quick smirk towards his business rival, leaving Oliver standing in the office alone.


	14. February part 1

**February **

_**February 13**_

It wasn't like Chloe and Oliver were overly superstitious; they just found it fitting that today was Friday the 13th. Apparently Lex wanted his first hosted event since his sudden re-emergence to be around Valentine's Day to "celebrate the love he had received in his return." But instead of clouding the day itself, he hosts it on a day often associated with bad luck. Go figure.

Seeing that sentiment in the invitation made Chloe throw up in her mouth, and Oliver said they could skip it, but Chloe decided that it was best for them to go. They had missed their share of functions lately with missions and everything, and they didn't want anyone to start any unnecessary rumours. Not only that, but the tension was also running high with merger negotiations, so Oliver's image in the press had to be maintained as well. Sure, everyone would know that the appearance is a superficial, temporary truce, but even that was better than nothing.

"You ready?" Oliver asked, knowing how much neither of them wanted to be here.

"As ready as I'll ever be." When the car stopped, Chloe could hear the clamoring of reporters outside, the snap of camera buttons. The tinted windows could only help so much, as they knew the world outside the car wasn't the one they wanted, but a life they know all too well. "Let's do this."

**~0~**

So far it wasn't that bad. Fake smiles et al did the trick as they worked the room with relative ease. The host had been out of sight since they arrived, which worked for them, as the less they interacted with Lex the better. Unfortunately, that seemed liked that was about to change.

"You really do clean up well."

Chloe rolled her eyes as she continued to pretend to admire the painting on the wall. "Save your flattery Lex. This is far from the first time we've attended the same event." It may have been a while since that said event, but even then, he wasn't trying so hard to be smarmy.

"True," Lex said as he put a hand on her shoulder, leaning forward to whisper, "but my memory's gotten a little... fuzzy."

"Let me guess," Chloe said as she turned her head towards Lex, "The fact that you kidnapped me is included in that unfortunate fuzz?" She quickly shoved his hand off of her and turned fully with a less than pleased expression.

His hands held up in defence, Lex had his poker face up and running. "Chloe, my dear, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Dear? Really?" At that Chloe couldn't help but laugh out loud. She knew not to expect anything else from the man, but the term of so-called of endearment was too much. "But if you're trying to raise a scene, you're going to have to try a lot harder. Empty words won't accomplish anything."

Lex's eyebrows raised as he took a step closer. "Is that a challenge?"

"No, just a statement." Chloe looked up at him harshly as his proximity wasn't going to intimidate her. "Besides, you know better than to try anything with me."

"I'm not afraid of Queen if that's what you're insinuating."

"I'd disagree," Oliver said before she had a chance to open her mouth. Looking up, she grinned at him as he walked around Lex to put his arm around Chloe. "But the truth is, she's the one you should be afraid of." Handing Chloe a glass of champagne, he added, "Sorry for taking so long."

"No worries," she replied, glass in hand before turning back towards someone she somehow had once called her friend. "Our host was just reminding me of where we stand."

It was subtle, but Oliver could sense the frustration in her voice, leading to him moving his hand down to the small of her back, gently moving his fingers back and forth out of reassurance. "That sounds fascinating, but there's actually someone who I'd like to introduce you to. If you don't mind."

"I think we've covered everything, don't you?" When Lex just smirked in response, Chloe looked back up at Oliver. "Then lead the way."

Lex just nodded as Oliver and Chloe worked their way through the crowd. Once they were far enough away, Oliver could feel some tension leave her body. "You okay?"

Chloe sighed, knowing it was stupid the way Lex made her angry every time she saw him. "He was trying to shake me." The way that he played with her, it was a routine Chloe knew all too well, but she was never one to doubt its effectiveness.

Oliver stepped in front of her, putting both his hands on her shoulders. "And?" He knew that Chloe was one of the strongest people he knew, but he had to know.

Knowing what Oliver was getting at, Chloe sold a confident smile. "Lex made me go through worse in high school." She meant it, but it only meant that Lex was holding back something, as he wasn't underestimating her by any means. "But he's definitely up to something."

Narrowing his eyes, Oliver asked, "When isn't he?"

"Fair point."

Seeing how she had rolled her eyes in response, Oliver said reassuringly. "Another hour Chloe... and we're out of here. Sounds good?"

Chloe nodded. "Can't wait."

* * *

><p><em><strong>February 14<strong>_

Happy Valentine's Day indeed.

If it was up to Evie, the holiday could seriously just fuck itself right now, as the disadvantage of hooking up with someone on this stupid day is that when that person gets dropped from your life, seeing all the happy couples is enough to make a person sick.

It was hard to believe that it had been almost a year already, as the happiest day of her relationship with Scott, their anniversary, became a sullen and unnecessary reminder of things Evie screwed up. After an eight hour shift at Metro, the couples came one after another, their smiles and doe-eyed looks firmly in place, and in time, Evie found it harder to smile… or be civil.

Which is why the last thing she wanted to see Victor and Bart right now. She knew what they were trying to do, but she was hardly in the mood for company. But before she could say anything, Bart had pushed by, telling Evie that tonight was going to be for awesome people only. She was only half listening, but Evie was pretty sure that he was rambling something about random rules then realizing that he had to go get spring rolls before he disappeared from her sight entirely.

Turning towards the door, she noticed how Victor had barely entered the room, likely analyzing the distracted look on her face, so Evie quickly shook it off. "Let me guess," she said, breaking the silence as she pointed to the bags in Victor's hands, "actually from China?"

Victor just nodded as he closed the door behind him. "Bart wanted to do something special for you."

"Who told you?" Evie blurted, not wanting to pry, but he was one of the few who didn't know about what this day represented for her. "Was it Bart?"

"He let it slip," Victor replied honestly, remembering the look on her cousin's face when he came clean. Feeling the obvious tension between the two, Victor avoided her gaze as he put the rest of the food on the table. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah," Evie said with a shrug, walking over to the kitchen table to help Victor unpack the food. "I mean I'd rather my personal failings would remain private, but a small inner circle risks that I guess." Frustration running high, Evie began to pop open the containers, not even realizing that she was ripping the paper tops.

"Easy." Victor stopped her from opening more containers, gesturing for Evie to have a seat. She thankfully obliged, so he took over. He didn't exactly want to have this conversation, but if nothing else, Victor was hoping he could take it in a positive direction for her. "Well, if you get past all this, maybe you can go back to him."

"This I can say with absolute conviction." Evie scoffed loudly before tilting her head back up to look at the ceiling. "No."

"Why not?"

"What's the point of being with someone if I have to lie every day?" Evie sighed as she got up to pour herself more coffee. "I may hate my abilities, but that doesn't mean I haven't accepted that's part of what makes me… me."

Victor walked over to the cupboard to grab a couple of plates. "Then tell him."

To him, it may have seemed the easy solution of the bunch, but Evie could only laugh at that suggestion. "You of all people know how insane that idea is, right?" Turning only her head to pretty much glare at Victor, she added, "Telling Scott is worse than you telling Katherine because of what I did to him."

Focusing back on her coffee, Evie realized that outburst was out of line, so she quickly felt guilty for her reaction. "Sorry, it's just…" When she couldn't find an ending to that sentence, Evie huffed in frustration.

Fortunately, he was more than willing to overlook that. "Scott made you happy, right?"

Evie took a big swig of her coffee, slamming the cup down on the counter, jumping from the sound. Maybe she had enough caffeine for one day. "Exactly, past tense." She combed her fingers through her hair, shrugging once again. "Now, I think it's probably best we went our separate ways. Our relationship was a ticking time bomb, and although he's a great guy, I know my life is never going to be normal."

Taking a deep breath, Evie pushed herself off the counter and walked around Victor to stand in the main room. She had managed to get this far without thinking about him, and although she was over him, it still hurt having that prior happiness being smacked into her face day after day.

She did miss Scott, but it was fair to say that she no longer loved him anymore. Besides, when it came to telling Scott the truth, Evie knew that, "He deserves to be separate from my craziness."

"You're not crazy," Victor called out from behind her, waiting for Evie to turn around.

She didn't, Evie only narrowed her eyes at the comment. "You sure about that?"

"If you can call me normal… then the same can easily be said for you."

For the first time in plenty of hours, Evie felt her genuine smile slowly crack through, so she turned around, ready to acknowledge Victor's point, but the door quickly opened, revealing Bart with yet another bag.

"You guys didn't start without me?"

Victor grinned at Bart, quickly providing them both with a cover story so Bart didn't think anything was wrong. "We figured that'd be rude."

"Darn straight," Bart replied, rushing over to fill up his plate.

Victor tilted his head, wanting Evie to go first, and she wanted to, but she wanted to say something, anything about how much she appreciated talking with him. About how he always seemed to maintain her sanity when she was on the edge of losing it.

But instead, Victor just gave her a knowing smile and a nod, all but telling Evie that he got it. So Evie nodded back and decided it was best to go and relax. After all, the food did smell amazing.

Looking at the spread, Evie noticed something. "Bart... where are the spring rolls?"

Bart peered up from his full plate before gesturing towards the door. "Oliver has them."

"What do you mean Oliver has—"

Before Evie had a chance to finish the sentence, Chloe and Oliver walked through the door, and sure enough Oliver was holding a paper bag in his hand. "Someone order spring rolls?"

"You guys shouldn't be here... you should have plans." Just because Chloe hated the day as much as Evie did right now didn't mean they had to be here.

"We might have, except Bart booked us months ago."

Evie blinked at Chloe's comment, before turning her head over her shoulder to look at her cousin. "Is that true?"

Bart was just about to start eating, but he promptly stopped and put down his plate. "It's what family's for, right?" Knowing her, Bart knew she'd just isolate herself, and after everything, Evie deserved better. "Besides, Valentine's Day can be about friends."

Feeling a smile slip, she looked around the room, at the support she had from her friends. "That's... really sweet... of everyone. Thank you."

"Great," Oliver said as he approached the kitchen table. "Now that's settled, I believe Mr. Allen here went to a great length to get us dinner. How about we enjoy it before it gets cold?"

Before Evie could say anything, Bart picked up his plate. "Best suggestion I've heard all day."

**~0~**

Stepping out of the elevator, Chloe looked back towards Oliver as she slipped her coat down her arms. "Were you okay with this Ollie? I mean, it was planned well in advance, but..."

"It was fine," Oliver replied, taking the coat from her hands to put it away. It maybe wasn't the ideal way to spend their first Valentine's Day together, but it could have been a lot worse too. Thinking back to the previous years, Oliver felt a devious come across his face. "Although if you wanted round two of target practice, I wouldn't be opposed."

"Well," Chloe said as she peered towards where his arrows were kept, "I won't hit the wall this time." There was also an increased chance that she wouldn't back away when he tried to correct her stance. She may even mess it up on purpose.

Watching as she approached him slowly, calculated, Oliver lifted his feet to meet her half-way. "Then again, there is a relative _perk _to our relationship status." Lowering his head, their lips seconds from touching, his eyes began to close, only to be interrupted by the buzzing sound coming from his jacket pocket. "And then that happens."

Chloe sighed as she backed away. It wasn't what she hoped would happen, but such was the life she had chose. Smiling as she turned around, she remarked confidently, "Make it quick Oliver... I may have a little surprise for you."

He had almost opened his phone, but when he looked up to see Chloe lifting her shirt over her head, tossing it away, he had a sudden change of heart.

* * *

><p><em><strong>February 24<strong>_

"Chloe, I need my supplies stat."

It had been an ordinary day, but that had all changed when Emil had burst through the doors, carrying what seemed to be an unconscious Evie. "What happened?"

"A close call to say the least." They didn't have time to use the bed upstairs, so they cleared the table and put her down. Once Chloe came back with the first aid kit and the other medical supplies, Emil opened it up and began to check her vitals again. Still nothing. "You heard about the bank robbery on 5th?"

Chloe's eyes widened. "She was there?" It wasn't easy to miss as it was all over the news. Three robbers, crowded bank and several hostages, not the ideal daylight hero situation. "I was about to get Impulse on it when we heard the police had things under control."

"That's spin doctoring things for you." Things were far from being under control. The only possible reason things settled down was because of the woman lying unconscious in front of them. "Now the story is all about 'Miracle on 5th Street' about the magic bullet, and not the one from the infomercial."

Chloe's mouth gaped open as the words set in. "She overdid it."

"DOA from the paramedics, but lucky for her, I insisted on being there at the scene." If it wasn't for his senior ranking, Evie would have been going to the morgue, not the hospital. "After the ambulance ride, I transferred her myself, explaining that she had a complicated condition I needed to treat. Seconds after I got her to my car... I received a call saying Lex Luthor wanted to pay for any procedure she needed."

He didn't mince words because he knew the gravity of her situation. Emil purposely had a role on the sidelines, but he still thought Evie had to be more careful. "Lex suspects that you're integral to the hero world and Evie was your right hand while Oliver was missing." Checking her vitals once more Emil stepped back, knowing that there wasn't anything more he could do right now. "Won't take much more than this for him to put two and two together."

Chloe nodded, knowing that was the truth, but that didn't matter if she didn't wake up. "Forty-five minutes since the break-up at the bank. How long do you think?"

Emil wished that he had a timeframe to work off of, but it was hard enough seeing her like this again. "I've seen her twice before... three and ten hours respectively."

**~0~**

It was six hours this time, as Chloe hadn't left her side this entire time. She didn't want to risk drawing attention to the building, so she hadn't called anyone and she swore Emil to secrecy until the time was right.

"Welcome back."

Evie lifted her head, but placed it quickly back down. "Yep, I definitely don't miss this feeling." It hurt like crazy, as it throbbed hard as she tried to do anything functional. She could see Chloe contemplating what to do in this instance, so Evie decided it was best to just come clean about what happened at the bank. "The guy went to shoot while I was trying to control the situation, you know, my way. I know it was reckless, but I had no choice."

"What do you mean by control the situation?" Chloe hated to admit this, but she didn't know much more than the basics when it came to her friend's abilities.

Evie squinted her eyes, trying to dull the pain as she tried to sit up again. When she was successful, she lowered her hand from her head. "I was controlling two guys... before the bullet, which... wasn't possible before." She was getting stronger, it was the only explanation, as she had only been able to control one person at a time, but when it worked, she wasn't arguing. Except when the third man was about to shoot his gun, Evie had to act.

There was no easy way to say what Chloe was about to say, so she blurted, "Evie... Lex wanted to see you in the hospital."

"What?"

Chloe bit her lip upon seeing her friend's understandable surprise. "This was all over the news, so the whole laying low thing... goes double now."

That went without saying. It was a good deed, one that Evie didn't regret because she saved a ten-year-old boy who was in line with the shot. But her freedom would be a tough repercussion for her to pay. "What did it say on the news?"

Sitting next to Evie on the table, Chloe admitted, "Fortunately, most of the shots of you... you can't see your face." It wasn't what she wanted to hear, but she thought she would start with the sliver of silver linings that there was. "The big story is that a bullet just dropped from the air."

Evie shook her head, because something didn't add up. "Then how did Lex...?"

In all the time her friend had been unconscious, Chloe had hoped that she would have a proper answer to that question. "You were listed as one of the hostages... and you're connected to me," was the best she could come up with.

It wasn't healthy much guilt both her and Chloe felt for each other, as this time, it was easy to spot in her eyes. "It's just a bank robbery, Chloe. I'm sure it'll all blow over soon." Or at least, Evie hoped it would.


	15. February part 2

_**February 27**_

She had been trying to avoid this, and considering it happened a week ago, that was pretty impressive. A stupid loophole in a series of documents Oliver swore he never signed undid the whole merger, making Lex her boss. Then again, a bribed judge probably helped his case, it was just too bad that no one could prove it.

Everyone was on edge at the _Daily Planet _now, wondering how Lex in charge would change things. Most didn't realize that he was always in charge, pulling the strings of the paper. Now he just wanted to show how much in control he was once Tess had gone a little off-script. Heads will roll, figuratively, and Chloe knew she was one employee who was on borrowed time.

Clark piqued Lex's interest, he was safe. Lois sold papers, so he couldn't afford to lose her. However, despite her status, Chloe had a target on her back when it came to Lex. Knowing she couldn't expect to avoid this forever, she walked into his office and just stood there, waiting for him to address her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of addressing him first.

Sensing her silence, Lex smirked a little, and said with her head still looking down, "I want to give you chance to dig into some real investigative reporting."

"What makes you think I'll do anything you ask?"

Initially it was just his head that moved slightly, but he still didn't look up at her. Instead, he just closed the folder he was working on. "Because it's the difference between you keeping and losing your job."

_And there it is_. The test of her loyalty, something Chloe had let his father take advantage of once, but she wasn't about to be fooled twice. However, that didn't mean she wasn't going to hear him out. The more about his intentions that she knew, the better. "What is, exactly?"

"The truth," Lex replied, pushing out his chair, "about what happened at the bank robbery on 5th." He leaned back in the chair and finally took his eyes off his work. "Your friend was there, wasn't she? Miss... Chambers if I remember correctly."

_Great_. This was the last rabbit hole Chloe wanted Lex searching around. "She doesn't remember anything, I asked."

"I suppose that's true. DOA at the scene, yet she's working at Metro this morning." Lex lifted his hands, wiggling his fingers like a physic looking into a crystal ball. "Another miracle."

Chloe narrowed her eyes at him, biting the inside of her lip to help her keep her cool. Lex was always a logical person, believing that there was an explanation for everything. It was why he pursued Clark so heavily, but it seemed a new meta had caught his eye. Only he seemed to be closer to Evie than he ever was to finding out about Clark. "What exactly are you asking me to do?"

"I'm curious about her condition and I would like to get the truth on how she survived. It'd be a great feel-good piece."

Chloe scoffed, as that wasn't even close to the truth, as a brush with death, no matter who you were, wasn't positive in any way, not to mention the real reason it happened. "I'm not invading a friend's privacy."

"And yet you have no problem with invading mine," Lex was quick to point out. Slowly, he got closer to Chloe, looking her straight in the eye as he stood inches from her. "For all you know, she could be worse than me."

Unfortunately for him, Chloe wasn't the least bit intimidated by his proximity. "Let's recap, shall we?" Smirking at him, she knew Lex would have to try a lot harder to get her to break. "You've treated me like crap for years, abducted me, threatened my boyfriend." Her eyebrows raised as she turned away from him to head towards the door. "Even if you didn't set a high bar, I know Evie, and I won't do that to her."

But Lex wasn't going to let her leave without at least one last attempt. "Just like you knew Clark? And he broke your heart remember?"

That line only showed Lex's desperation, as Chloe wanted nothing more than to laugh at that not-so-successful jab. Turning her head over her shoulder, Chloe made sure Lex understood that, despite what he thought, "Time healed that wound a long time ago."

"So I take that as your answer is no."

Chloe smirked, and then turned around fully to walk around him. Sighing, she took her _Daily Planet _ID off and placed it firmly on the desk. She wanted to a journalist, but not like this, and she refused to let Lex use her like this. "Goodbye Lex."

She stormed towards the door again, where Lex quickly retorted, "You are going to regret this."

"Funny," Chloe replied as she stood in the doorway, "I was about to say the same to you."

**~0~**

It had been a quick goodbye from the _Planet_, as Chloe packed up her things, hugged Clark and then left without many parting words. It probably would have been longer if Lois was there, but she had been hunting down a lead. Oddly, it would be for the best. Lois would want to talk about it, and frankly, Chloe didn't want to. All she wanted to do was come home to the man she loved and forget all of it.

"Ollie?" she called out when she noticed that all of the lights were out in the clocktower. It didn't take long for her to find him, however it meant Chloe finding out that she wasn't the only one having a bad day. Taking a few more steps, Chloe put her box down, taking note of Oliver's slumped posture on the couch, gripping the glass as if his life depended on it. It made her nervous, as these were signs of Oliver's bad side when it came to drinking.

"Bad day?" he said softly, his eyes barely on Chloe as he manoeuvred the glass in his hands.

"Better than you from the looks of things," she replied, eyeing the glass carefully. It wasn't like she was afraid of Oliver in this moment, it was just that he was unpredictable when he drank like this. That, and Chloe had no idea how long he had been like this. "What happened?"

Gesturing his head slightly, Oliver couldn't find the words to say, so he settled with, "On the desk." It almost made him sick just thinking about it, so he downed the entire glass while Chloe wasn't looking.

But that didn't stop Chloe from hearing the scotch bottle open and the additional pour. Nonetheless, Chloe exercised her restraint, as she trusted him enough. The file folder was on the top of the desk, and Chloe opened it to see the cause, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Oliver down another glass. Again, she waited a second, enough time to see him pour another glass.

So when he put the bottle down, Chloe quickly walked over to steal it from the table, avoiding the outreach of his arm trying to grab it back. "If you're trying to distract me, it's not going to work." She went across the room to keep it far enough away from him, but by the time she turned around, the glass was already half-empty. So she stormed back, trying to grab the glass too. "Ollie, that's enough."

He swirled the glass once, but immediately replied, "It's really not."

Chloe narrowed her eyes as she felt the harsher tone coming to her voice. "Oliver, I mean it. I won't let you relapse into that again." She had let him spiral out of control once, let him walk away from her, but never again.

But Oliver just looked back at his girlfriend, the determination in her familiar green eyes. In them, he was quickly reminded of how she singlehandedly picked him up, reminded him of his progress, of his direction in his life. He had no intention of relapsing, but for twenty-four hours, Oliver figured, "I think this time, you might just let me."

"You were just fine this morning," Chloe pointed out as she sat down next to him. She grabbed his other hand and squeezed it hard, just trying to get through to him. "Whatever it is, you'll get through it."

The whole time, he couldn't stop looking at her, as she made it perfectly clear that she wasn't leaving him, and she wasn't going to let him do anything he probably would regret. So he peered at the glass momentarily, and then placed it down. Afterwards, he leaned his head against the top of the couch, staring straight up to the ceiling. Oliver knew he would get through the bombshell dropped on his lap, but right now, he could barely admit what it was. "He... _killed_... my parents."

Chloe could hear the way Oliver choked up on the verb, and it was far from what Chloe was expecting. "Who?"

"Who do you think?" Oliver asked, a defeated air to his voice. He leaned forward, taking his hand back from Chloe to comb it through his hair. "Lionel Luthor."

Chloe just sat there, not entirely sure what to say. What could she? So many years had passed, so many things had transpired, and she wasn't about to make things worse by saying the wrong thing. So she said the only thing she could. "How do you –"

"Tess dropped off the proof today," Oliver interjected, not really wanting to debate the matter. The glass in his eyesight, Oliver took it again as he stood up. "Accident my ass. He set it all up, the plane crash, everything."

"This isn't going to bring them back," Chloe said from behind him. "You know that, I know you do." Stepping closer to him, she added, "Lionel is _dead."_

That didn't make it any easier, knowing that Lionel would never pay any consequences for what he did, not to mention what he created in his wake. "Yeah, and look at who takes his place. Prodigal son."

Oliver gritted his teeth as he remembered what Lex had done, both to the world, but also what he had done to Oliver and everyone he cared about. It wasn't long ago that Oliver had dropped everything to look for Chloe, to sit by as her livelihood was up in the air.

But he felt himself calm down as he felt Chloe's touch on his arm. Chloe had partly wrapped her hand around his bicep, trailing it down as she walked around Oliver to face him straight on. "You're better than both of them." Holding out her hand, she looked hard into his eyes. "Ollie, give me the glass."

Despite his anger, it didn't take Oliver long to hand it over. Having Chloe here right now only brought back memories of how he had screwed up in the past, of how he pushed her away, but she always came back. He had her now, and he wasn't going to risk his relationship with Chloe for anything, no matter how much it hurt right now. "It was only my third glass."

Seeing the hint of smile come across his face, Chloe grinned back as she headed back to the couch. "Then I guess I have good timing."

Oliver followed her, until he further examined the box she had set down just in front of the elevator. Considering the recent complications and changes at the _Daily Planet_, there was only one reasonable explanation. "Which I take it is also Luthor-related?"

"Yeah," Chloe said as she sipped from the scotch glass, almost ignoring the way Oliver scoffed at her. "Hey, I'm allowed one drink."

That was a fair point, as no matter the circumstances, Oliver knew it can't have been easy for Chloe to walk away from the _Planet. _Sitting back down, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You want to talk about it?"

"He wanted me to pry into Evie's life." _Like father, like son_, Chloe thought, but what Lex didn't know was that she had the entire story, and there was no way in hell she would spill Evie's secrets. No job was worth that. Unfortunately, Evie wouldn't see it that way. "You can't tell her, she'll never forgive herself."

"It was your dream job," rationalizing the stance Evie would take. He wouldn't spill the news, but Evie always had a way of finding out things that happen. Abilities or not, the girl could read people, and he wanted to make sure Chloe remembered that.

"It wasn't my dream to fight with Lex constantly, writing puff pieces." The way Chloe saw it, this allowed her to focus on Watchtower fully, as between her and Oliver's financial state, she hardly needed the money or the position. She'd work for Queen Industries on paper, but Chloe would put her focus on helping Evie get her life back, on stopping 33.1. In a way, _that _was her new goal, her new dream. "Aside from working with Lois and Clark, I'm not sure that I'll miss working there at all."

Oliver had to admit, he was quite surprised by Chloe's words, for despite the strength she showed every day, he genuinely thought this would shake her more than it did. "You're taking this quite well."

Chloe gestured the glass towards him. "What you're going through makes mine pale in comparison." She took a single sip and then put the glass down for good. It wasn't really helping either of them, it seemed. But that wasn't a bad thing, as Oliver had listened to her, something that Chloe deeply appreciated. "I never expected to talk you down so easily."

"Neither did I," he admitted. "But I guess it's about holding onto what I have, instead of focusing on what I can't." Oliver tucked her hair behind her ear, his finger lingering there as he stared into her eyes, the greenness flaunted as the moonlight reflected in them. "Besides," Oliver added, "tomorrow has to be better, right?"

Leaning down to rest her head on his chest, Chloe whispered, "I hope so."

* * *

><p><em><strong>February 28<strong>_

Putting her com in her ear, Chloe was about ready to start the patrols as she heard the system announce Evie's entrance to Watchtower. She had turned with a smile to greet her friend, but upon seeing Evie, it quickly fell. Evie's eyes never even met Chloe's as she went immediately upstairs, and from the sounds of things, she was stuffing something into the overnight bag she had been carrying.

Taking the first couple of stairs cautiously, Chloe asked, "What are you doing?"

Pausing only momentarily as her words hung in the air, Evie eventually closed up the bag and tossed it over her shoulder. Still facing away from Chloe, Evie sighed. This was a lot harder than she thought. "I'm done Chloe."

Chloe blinked, not fully understanding what that meant. "What?"

Finally turning around, Evie clarified, "I can't come here again." She gave Watchtower a quick look around, knowing the potential good this place could serve. "If Lex wants to look into my life, that's fine, but he's not finding this place."

She started walking down the stairs, stopping at the bottom to wrap her arms around Chloe, squeezing harder than she expected. Chloe returned the embrace, so Evie squeezed tighter, knowing that this wasn't the last time she would see Chloe, but saying goodbye to this facet of her life was still hard.

As they backed away, Chloe managed a small grin. "It doesn't have to be for good."

Shrugging, Evie clutched her bag, keeping it in place. "I'm not saying it is, but I'm not taking any chances. I'm just taking all of my stuff." What Chloe didn't know was that most of that was a lie. It had to be for good. As long as Lex was alive, patrol work couldn't happen, no matter how satisfied it made her feel. Sure, she could leave everything here, but this gave her closure. She couldn't go back after this and she knew it was for the best, the greater good.

When Chloe just nodded, Evie quietly added, "Thank you," taking her bag to the elevator. Looking down at it as the elevator descended, she realized that 'her stuff' wasn't much in reality. It was mainly just the uniform, as the glasses and gloves could be returned to Oliver.

Opening the door, Evie felt the breeze blow right through her as she walked down a couple of blocks. It was late, so the streets were quiet, but she kept her ears open, not wanting any trouble.

When she figured she was far enough, Evie turned down an alley, walking far enough so that she wasn't visible from the street. Opening the bag, she tossed the uniform on the ground, staring at the outline for a minute, even if it wasn't overly visible due to the darkness.

It wasn't long ago that her eyes were lit up upon seeing Oliver presenting this to her. It wasn't long after that she was directly helping the world become a better place. Now, she stood in the furthest thing from a safe place, pouring a flask over her uniform, dropping her lighter over it and watching it burn.

Her reaction may seem a little extreme, but Evie couldn't take any more chances. With every day that went by, it seemed like Lex was getting closer, and now, her only chance was to play innocent, ignorant, and normal.

She couldn't run anymore, because Lex would find her, especially now. Her abilities would also have to be placed on hold, as even though Evie wanted to change the world, she couldn't do that if she was caught. The only thing she could do was trust the people she cared about more than anything.

Picking up the scraps of the uniform, Evie sighed, hating the sinking feeling she felt inside. She felt sick, but it was the right thing to do; she just hoped it was enough.

But that didn't stop her feet from becoming weights as she ventured home. Each step seemed to be heavier than the next, and by the time she saw the apartment building in her sights, she wanted to stop in her spot and not continue.

That wouldn't have worked though, as he saw her right away. Victor had been waiting for her, and he didn't take long to approach her. However, seeing his expression caused her to swallow hard, as he confirmed her fears in the words he spoke.

"Evie, we've got to talk."

As true as that statement was, Evie dreaded what he would likely have to tell her. There was no way this talk was going to end well.


	16. March

**March**

_**March 1**_

Victor had been quiet initially, as Evie went first, explaining the things she hadn't told him yet. Her rationale for burning the uniform, even the emergence of Dr. Lee's body. So he just sat at the kitchen table of her apartment, waiting for her to finish. He took everything calmly, even replied calmly; however the words he spoke weren't of a calm nature, not even close.

They had to go their separate ways.

They both knew it, yet they didn't want to say it. In fact, Vic barely managed to say the words. However, that knowledge didn't mean that Evie wanted to believe it. "No," she said confidently, trying to hold onto the last shred of hope she had, desperately trying to find a last-second way to avoid this.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on their side.

"If you're worried about Watchtower, then I'm even worse," Victor replied, again, not wanting to admit it, but he had no choice. "He knows who I am Evie, and he knows we were 33.1 inmates." Taking one of her hands in his, purely out of reassurance, he added, "Let's face it, I'm the biggest connection he knows."

Evie pulled her hand back, even pulled the chair away as she stood up again. She couldn't... he couldn't... not now, _especially _not now. "But you live with Bart..."

Victor was surprised by her recoil and the way she distanced herself. Evie couldn't even look at him now, so his gaze moved downwards, towards the table. "I'm moving out of the apartment and into Watchtower for the time being." Victor hadn't told Bart his plan yet, but upon seeing the measures Evie was going to erase herself from this life, he knew he had to make the executive decision in this case. If Lex could link him to any part of her life, even Bart, he would use it against her. Besides, there was no way Victor was willing to compromise Bart either. It wasn't fair to him.

Staring at her feet, Evie whispered, "How long?"

"You mean how long do we have to avoid each other?" Risking a glance up, Victor noticed that Evie was looking at him, biting her lip just barely. Getting out of his chair, he finally answered, "As long as it takes."

Evie squeezed her eyes shut as she heard the chair drag against the floor. "It's not fair."

"I hate it too, but you know I'm right." Reaching out towards her shoulders, when Victor's fingers collided with her bare shoulder and Evie didn't back away, he came closer, slowly embracing her. "We've risked enough as it is."

Again, she wanted to back away, but his arms around her allowed Evie to relax as she leaned towards Victor. "I know." Leaning her forehead down against his shoulder, she added with what little strength she had, "I just... I wish there was another way."

Taking a deep breath in, Victor sighed. He wanted to tell her that there was, because this was just as hard for him as it was for her. Taking care of each other had almost become as natural as breathing, and since Evie had re-emerged in his life, Victor could sense that things were... changing. He couldn't explain what was happening, but it didn't seem to matter anymore, because it had to end. "I've thought about it... I can't..."

"I know," Evie interjected, not wanting to hear the pain in his voice any longer than she had to.

Carefully, they both began to lift their hands off each other's back, the draft settling in fast as the chill was sent through their bodies. Time seemed to continue in slow motion as they stepped back, their eyes flickering up at each other. The stare lasted a minute, maybe two, before Victor turned his back for good. Walking towards the door, he wanted to look back, but he couldn't do it. He had to stay true to his word. He had to continue to protect her, even if it was in the shadows.

Opening the door, he walked out of the apartment, and upon hearing it click shut, his hand lingered on the doorknob. Taking one last peek towards the door, Victor barely found it within himself to take a step away.

* * *

><p><em><strong>March 3<strong>_

Looking up from his desk as the door opened, it took everything Oliver had not to roll his eyes or lose his cool. "You've got some nerve showing up here."

"I'd call it courage, but I don't have time for semantics." Tess strolled quickly into Oliver's Queen Industries office, not an easy feat, but a necessary one. She had waited twenty minutes for Lauren to go to the bathroom, as she was more than away of his assistant's loyalty. "If it wasn't me telling you, it would have been Lex, and trust me, you didn't—"

"Why would you be any better?"

That answer was easy. "Because I knew this last year, but I couldn't tell you then... it would have broken you." The look in Oliver's eyes when they met in Kansas before... even though they dated for a short period of time, Tess still had a way of reading him. Just like now. "I can see that you don't believe me, not that I blame you."

Leaning back in his chair, Oliver crossed his arms. "Why are you here?"

Seeing her opening, Tess took it. "You look at me now... and all you see is a puppet, a pawn in Lex's sick game... which is exactly what I am and I'm sick of it." She was tempted to sit down, but she decided against it. The plan was to get it over with and walk out. "It started with cameras in my optic nerve and it only escalated from there."

Oliver's eyes widened, for while Evie had told him as much he never expected to hear Tess admit it to him. "What makes you think that I can do anything?"

"You're on the backburner with the company going back under Lex's name, but I want your word that you're not giving up on getting your shares back."

"I'm not."

It wasn't much to ask of Oliver, but Tess was still glad to hear the strong conviction in his voice. "Good, because without the company, his capital resources decrease."

"For what exactly?"

She should have prepared for such a question, but she wasn't exactly sure how a person explained what 33.1 did to people. Not to mention the fact that Oliver wasn't the person to tell the truth to anyway. "Something... something I can't prove, which is why I want this so badly."

"This doesn't happen to be about those buildings blowing up around the world, do they?"

Tess smirked, slightly impressed by the way Oliver had narrowed that down. Then again, there had been a spike in incidents in the last few months. "Work of the Green Arrow, enemy number one at the Luthor mansion." Reaching into his purse, Tess pulled a file folder out, hoping that she was about to do the right thing. "But even that's secondary now."

Eyes narrowing, Oliver asked, "Second to what?" Based on the past few days, he had a suspicion, but he had to be sure.

Opening the folder, Tess' expression turned serious. "If you have resources to find this woman, please use them. I've never seen Lex so determined in my life." Which made Tess even more determined to ensure the woman's safety.

Looking over the files, Oliver could easily put the pieces together based on the pieces of conversations Evie had sent him. It looked like her precautions were justified. "Why do you care?"

A fair question, but one Tess could confidently answer. "I've never seen her in person, but she saved my life Oliver... I owe her the same courtesy." Waiting as Oliver looked up again, she added, "Tell me that I can count on you."

"I'll handle it." These files, Tess' words, they only increased Oliver's concern for his friend, but he still believed that they could keep Evie safe.

* * *

><p><em><strong>March 5<strong>_

"You called?"

Oliver looked up and gestured for his employee to enter his office. "Close the door." What they were about to talk about was about as confidential as it got.

Victor obliged before sitting down. "What's up?" When Oliver had called him up to his office, Victor could sense a nervousness to his tone, so whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

"Tess came by to give me this a couple of days ago." Pulling the folder out of the drawer, Oliver placed it in front of Victor. "I waited because I didn't want to arouse any suspicion, but I think she's finally clear of trackers from Lex."

"What's on it?"

"Every piece of correspondence between Tess and Evie." There were other little details, but Victor would know about them soon enough. "If you can access Lex's server and see what's he's digging into, do it. But you can't leave a trace."

"She's on his radar," Victor said slowly, an air of defeat in his voice. It made the decisions they had made easier to bear, but this didn't reassure the worry that they acted too little, too late.

"Is it true? About her leaving Watchtower for good over the weekend?" Chloe had told him about it, but Oliver thought the declaration would break and things weren't as bad as they seemed. Considering her close friendship with Victor, Oliver figured he would know better than anyone.

"Among other things," Victor admitted, as he realized that they never disclosed the full story to anyone else. "I'm keeping my distance from her and Bart."

Oliver's eyes widened. "Oh."

Victor shook his head, not surprised by the reaction. "I have to," he replied calmly, pulling his chair back while staring at the folder in his hands. "If he found her because of me... I'd never forgive myself."

Feeling himself swallow hard, Oliver could only say, "I understand the feeling." As it wasn't long ago that he worried for Chloe's safety due to his double life.

Standing up, Victor cleared his throat, knowing there was no time to dwell anymore. "So decrypt this secretly?"

"Yeah," Oliver replied. "No one can know." It wasn't that he didn't want to tell Chloe, but he was mostly hoping that it was a false alarm, or possibly that Lex was on the wrong trail. He didn't want to worry Chloe or Evie if he didn't have to.

* * *

><p><em><strong>March 7<strong>_

"Are you coming out today, or do I have to come and drag you out?"

"I'm coming," Evie replied, still looking at the mirror. Taking a deep breath, she finally turned around and unlocked the door. It had been awhile since she wore a dress, not to mention one this beautiful. She had to hand it to Lois, she had a great eye for what Evie would like.

Opening the door, she noticed Lois' smug expression as she approached Evie in her wedding gown. This would be the first time that Evie would see it on Lois, and it looked perfect. It was her mother's gown, the 'something borrowed' of the wedding clichés, but it really worked. Lois looked happy, and for a woman as tough as nails, Evie could swear she could see a bridal glow in her friend.

Yet her mannerisms it seemed would never change as Lois dragged her to a mirror. "You wanted to hide from us when you look like that?"

"Maybe I didn't want to outshine you," Evie fired back, knowing that Lois would sense the joke in that statement.

"Please," Lois scoffed, "you'd have to try a little harder than that."

"Yeah... I would." Turning her head over her shoulder, Evie furrowed her eyebrows as she searched for the third woman in their party.

"Chloe will be back in a sec... Oliver called." Seeing Evie nod, the two women continued to stare at the mirror in front of them, but Lois glanced and noticed the increasing worry in her friends face. "Are you okay?"

Shaking from her trance, Evie sighed softly. "That seems to be my catchphrase."

"You've... sort of clammed up lately."

Evie threw her hands to her side in frustration. "I just don't know what to say." Things had been quiet lately, almost too quiet. Since escaping 33.1, the other shoe was always tempting to drop, but for the last few weeks, Evie could feel her anxiety increasing. "But I'm scared Lois, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't."

Wrapping her arms around her friend, Lois flashed her a smile. "You've fought through plenty." It was quite the understatement, but it was all she could tell Evie at this moment. "Everything will be okay."

**~0~**

Closing the door to her apartment, Evie moved to the bedroom to hang up her coat. The measurements for the dresses were all set, so it was just a matter of time before the real dress came. But as she looked down at her hands, shaking frantically, Evie couldn't help but wonder if she would ever have the chance to wear it.

She didn't have long to dwell on that thought as the door opened again, followed by a solid slam, causing Evie to quickly exit the bedroom, wondering what was going on. Chloe was standing in the main area, almost on a mission it seemed, as the moment they met eyes, she said, "I quit, Lex didn't fire me."

Evie rolled her eyes. "Hello to you too." She walked past her friend and settled on the couch, as she had a feeling this conversation was going to take a while.

Chloe didn't mean to be so blunt, but Evie had gone radio silent, and she figured it had something to do with her. After all, Evie did everything in her power to avoid the subject, so Chloe thought it was best to get this out in the open. "Who told you?"

"No one had to," Evie replied, shaking her head slowly. "It wasn't hard to realize that my screw-up ended up costing you more than me."

"Lex will get what he deserves, I promise you that." Reaching across to grab her friend's hand, Chloe said reassuringly, "And if I really wanted to keep being a journalist, I could practically start my own paper. Right now, my priority is taking a different direction."

Evie appreciated that, she appreciated what everyone had done already, but there was no need for this to become priority number one in everyone's life. They deserved more than that. "Chloe you don't have to involve yourself in my mess more than you already have."

Chloe narrowed her eyes, not believing how much guilt Evie still carried. "Last I checked, it's _all _of our mess, Evie. It's about protecting you, my mom, everyone." Risking a smile in her direction, Chloe quipped, "Not everything bad that happens is about you, you know. And I'll always have your back." Taking a breath as she realized that her attempt to lighten the mood feel on deaf ears, Chloe pressed on. "So why don't you tell me what's really bothering you?"

If she had to be honest, Evie didn't know where to start. "I feel like I'm saying the same script over and over." The questions, the responses, the reactions, everything was starting to spin faster around her and it was back to the days where Evie was constantly looking over her shoulder. "It's not getter better and I don't want it to get any worse."

Evie knew that she couldn't save everyone, but it wasn't as easy as that. She had a lot more to lose this time, as Lex wouldn't hesitate to use anyone in her life as leverage. If she could help it, it wouldn't come to that, but Evie wasn't confident that option would be available to her.

Finding her voice, just barely, Evie added quietly, "I'm scared Chloe... and I don't know if I can save everyone this time."

* * *

><p><em><strong>March 20<strong>_

It had been another long eight-hour shift at the cafe, so Evie wanted nothing more than to go home, have a shower and relax the night away. However, just when she was approaching her building, she noticed a familiar face waiting outside. It just wasn't a face she ever expected to see again.

Feeling a little speechless once their eyes met, Evie blinked in disbelief. By the time she reached the door, the fact had sunk in, so she asked calmly, "How are you John?"

"Not bad," John replied with a smile. It had been a long time since he had seen his college friend, and while the surprise was expected, John was kind of glad that she looked well. "I hope you don't mind, I ran into Lois at the _Daily Planet... _she gave me the address." She wasn't someone John knew well, but it was the only way he knew that he could find Evie, as he no longer kept in touch with any of his college friends that lived in Kansas.

"Well… come on up." Evie sold him a smile as she held the door open for him, all while trying to figure out a reason for the sudden visit. Standing in the elevator, she turned her head towards him. "Could you take a coffee?"

"Absolutely."

"Teaspoon of sugar, no cream?"

John chuckled at the speed of Evie's reply. "You still remember?"

"Yeah, and it helps that I've been practicing my barista habits in my most recent job." Feeling much more relaxed, Evie smiled more genuinely this time. "I work in a cafe nearby if you're planning on being here for awhile."

"Thanks, but I'm not staying long."

Evie's smile quickly fell, as suddenly, everything became clear. "So… I take it this is Scott-related?"

John nodded, not surprised that she came to that conclusion so easily. Things had been... shaky since her and Scott broke up. They used to text each other, but that fell by the wayside months ago. In a way, John regretted every setting the two of them up, because if he could believe the stuff he received from the pair, the last year of their relationship wasn't pretty.

Not to mention the place Scott had gone since the break-up, which is probably what John blamed Evie for the most, even if Scott technically pulled the plug. But despite all that, he knew that she was the only one who could help now. "He learned the truth about his father."

That was not what Evie was expected, as she paused her progress in unlocking her door. The truth? What was that supposed to mean? It probably meant her secret was safe for now, or else it would have been Scott at her door, but how much longer would that be now?

"The truth?"

John scoffed as they entered the apartment. "Apparently you were right. He wasn't dead beat, he was a fed." They had grown up together, so John knew all about the nights that Scott's father wasn't around, how his friend had given up on his dad altogether when he missed his thirteenth birthday. So the news was a shock to John, but the proof was there... and it eventually made a lot of sense.

Meanwhile, Evie was thanking her lucky stars that John was focused on a piece of paper in his hand. That way, he didn't notice the way she was outright panicking inside. "How... how could he possibly learn this?" While her voice eventually found fluidity, the fact that Scott was being fed information on his father meant only one thing... and this wasn't good.

"I took this from Scott… to show you the severity of this, and the sincerity."

Evie took the paper from John's hands after placing his cup on the table. No doubt about it, it was Riley Kane's handwriting, but the timing of it all caused Evie to somehow contain the shiver that was tempting to let loose.

John noticed the nerves in her face, but he chalked it off as surprise, which caught his curiosity. "You were the only one who insisted that his dad was better... what made you say that?"

She knew him, plain and simple. But Scott always figured there was some other 'kid' his dad loved more, Evie didn't have the heart to ever say that kid was her. "I always had this theory Scott was his father's son." That much was true. "I figured his dad couldn't be as bad as you guys made him sound."

The letter detailed everything, how he protected FBI assets, changing his assignments when he found out Scott's mother was pregnant. The rest was the usual apology, saying how much he loved Scott and that he wished he could be there for him, but it was enough for Evie to feel tears coming. "But what's the big deal?" Blinking back the tears, she tried to maintain her strength. "Sure, he knows the truth now, but... I don't see what would bring you here."

Taking a large sip of coffee, John smirked as the liquid reminded him of better days, but he had to stay focused. "He got the name of his father's final asset, the person he was..."

"I know what an asset is," Evie interjected, knowing that this was officially going in the direction she didn't want it to. If this got any further, the shoe would officially drop.

"Scott thinks there's some sort of conspiracy with this person, and he's looking into it."

"What?" Evie blurted, hardly believing her ears. "Why?"

John began explaining how Riley's former partner came to visit Scott, explaining that he promised Riley that one day he would come to visit. From there, it was explaining the things that Evie already knew, leading to the idea that the fire was set to protect his asset, or more specifically, her. "Her new identity was never disclosed at the bureau, so it's thought that his asset is still alive." Next was Scott's grand plan to figure this out, which hit a little too close to home for Evie, as apparently the partner had given Scott the address of her childhood home. "Scott wants to know what his father sacrificed himself for."

Her mouth gaping by the second, Evie said the only thing she could. "He's insane." Even if she didn't know anything, this mission wasn't something she wanted Scott to explore.

"Thank you," John replied. It was a noble thing, sure, but it was also incredibly stupid, so he was grateful that Evie agreed. It would make it easier to ask her the favour he needed from her.

However, despite filling the blanks on what John wanted, Evie was a little more skeptical. "But what makes your think he'll want to listen to anything I have to say? It's been a year."

John sighed. "He'll probably listen to you, even now."

"It's really come to this point?"

Downing the rest of his coffee, John slammed his cup on the table. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't serious, and I saw no other option." A call or text wouldn't work either. He had to come, even for just this small visit. If it saved his friend, it would all be worth it.

"I'll...I'll try my best. But no guarantees."

"I'll take anything," John admitted as he jotted down Scott's new phone number. Seeing her take it, he didn't see any point in further small talk. "Thanks for the coffee."

Evie watched silently as he left her apartment, as the only thought on her mind was:

_Shit._

The moment the door closed, Evie dashed for her phone, dialling Chloe's number and putting it to her ear. When the familiar voice came on the line, Evie wasted little time.

"Chloe, I need you to run something for me."

* * *

><p><em><strong>March 21<strong>_

Her hands were actually shaking as she dialled the number. How were you supposed to call someone after radio silence for so long? She was over him, that wasn't the problem, but she still cared. The last thing she wanted was for him to stumble into dangerous territory and if what John told her was right, then that was exactly where he was going to.

But she finished dialling, completing the call and bringing the phone to her ear. The worst part was that she couldn't leave a message. This was something she had to speak to him directly for.

Three rings and still nothing and Evie could feel her heartbeat increase, hoping she wasn't too late. But before the fourth link, she found relief. _"Hello?"_

"Scott?" she said softly, surprised at how she said the word, so she cleared her throat. "Hi."

What she wasn't expecting was Scott laughing on the other end. _"Wow! John's so desperate that he's going to you?"_

There it was, the snark she had gotten so used to in the darker days of their relationship. "He's got a reason to, you know?"

Unfortunately for her, Scott didn't see it that way. _"You told me that I deserved the truth about him."_

"And you got it, you idiot!" Evie snapped, not surprised that it came out that way. "John told me about you planning a trip to her hometown, but also that the asset was dead according to the world. What do you expect to figure out without talking to anyone?"

She heard him breathe to respond, but Evie wasn't up for any of his excuses. "How many lives are you willing to mess up on this mission?"

_"What are you –"_

"Your dad was a _hero_! Leave it at that!"

**~0~**

Leaning his head against the headrest of his car seat, Scott found it in himself to smile. "I haven't heard this much passion in your voice in awhile."

He heard her sigh on the other side. _"Despite everything...I do still care about you."_

Clicking his seat belt in place, Scott said calmly, "If it makes you feel better... I'm leaving now."

_"Good."_

"It was really nice hearing from you." Looking down at the picture in his hands, Scott's thumb smoothed against the surface. "Remind me again, why did we break up?"

_"I... there's a part of my life that I'll never feel comfortable sharing with you." _ There was an awkward pause between them on the line before Evie eventually added, _"Besides, you deserved better than me anyway."_

Nodding, even though she couldn't see it, Scott replied, "Take care Evie," before hanging up.

The girl always had interesting timing, but nothing more intriguing than now. It didn't surprise Scott that John would eventually reach out, after all, nothing would beat the ultimate surprise of today. Years and years of mysteries between the two people that he wanted nothing more than to figure out. And to think that they were all solved by a smiling face in an old photograph.

* * *

><p><em><strong>March 25<strong>_

Hearing the door open, Evie quickly tied a towel around her body as she wasn't expecting anyone just yet. As she approached the main room, she heard whistling, so she slowed her pace, peering out the bedroom door at her unexpected guest.

However, it seemed like her guest was just early, as she opened the door fully. "Bart?"

Bart whooshed in front of his cousin, not planning on taking more time than he had to. "It's... a burner cell. I thought I'd come early to drop it off so you can call him." Seeing the hesitation in her eyes, Bart pressed on, "I covered my bases, trust me... please."

Taking the phone from his hands, Evie smirked as Bart zipped out of the room. She walked back to her bedroom, falling hard against her bed as she stared up at the phone. All she could think was that this was insane, but before she knew it, her phone rang.

Laughing momentarily, she brought the phone to her ear. "How come my cousin can figure out burner cells... and we can't?"

Victor chuckled on the other end. _"Because sacrifice is almost second nature to us?"_ For a minute, there were no words, as they were just happy to hear each other's voices, but Victor eventually broke the silence. _"You're going to Chloe's birthday tonight?"_

"That's the plan," Evie replied sitting up again and walking over to the mirror, knowing that she had to get ready some point. "I'm sorry you can't go."

_"I don't think I've had the shorter end of the stick when it comes to sacrifices." _He likely knew that she would disagree so he was quick to add, _"But it's like you said once... this isn't the end of our story." _

It was probably wrong that those moments didn't feel that long away anymore, those few moments that Evie didn't mind remembering 33.1. "You really think I'm going to get away with this?"

_"I have to believe that. Giving up means that they win, right?"_

Rolling her eyes at his responses, recognizing another concept she once told Victor in 33.1. But it was oddly fitting, so she felt herself smiling soon after. "I miss you."

_"Trust me, I miss you too."_ She heard him sigh on the other end, clearing his throat before adding, _"But when this is all done... things will be different. It will be worth it, trust me."_

**~0~**

Pulling up to the Talon, Evie was glad that Bart agreed to let her drive to Smallville instead of taking her on the Allen express. She wanted to clear her head and the drive was definitely worth it.

As she closed the car door, she looked into the coffee house, full of happy faces, and she almost turned around. But she stopped and headed inside, just in time for Lois to say, "Good to know when you guys are actually dating that he can make your birthday."

"Funny," Oliver replied, rolling his eyes. "I attended last year's, remember?"

"Okay, that true," Lois said, as that fact had slipped her mind. "But where's your sense of creativity?" Since the first time Oliver tried to host this party, this was what Chloe wanted to do, not that Lois was complaining on the free coffee, but she couldn't resist giving them a hard time.

"This... oddly gives us privacy," Chloe replied before her boyfriend had a chance to. It was her idea to do this again after all. "Everyone expects a fancy restaurant or club since Ollie and I got together... but a small-town coffee house?" Smiling as she looked up at Oliver, she added, "It's perfectly fitting."

Oliver leaned down to kiss Chloe gently. "Happy Birthday."

Smiling as she returned to her natural height, Chloe turned her head to see Evie approaching her with a cupcake. "And on that note, it's time to make a wish."

Chloe looked around, thinking about what she could possibly wish for. Shaking her head, she came up empty, so she just blew out the candle, grateful for the status quo.

* * *

><p><em><strong>March 30<strong>_

The evening rush was at its peak when Evie found herself at the counter again, just barely managing to keep up with the orders. Straightening up her apron, she asked, "Okay, who's next?"

"Large half-fat mocha latté."

She froze. Her finger lay just barely over the correct button on the till, but her finger was shaking in place. Risking a glance up, her world seemed like it was on pause when she saw him standing in front of her.

"Is that everything?" she asked shakily.

"To stay," he said with a nod before laying his money on the counter and walking away. Normally, she'd be more than happy to keep the change, but instead, she was just blown away. What was he doing here?

Letting a co-worker take over the till, Evie went to make his drink as ordered, and walked over to where he was sitting, not exactly sure what to say to him. It was hard enough making that phone call, let alone seeing him like this.

She decided on, "Here's your change," not waiting for him to look up as she set the money and the drink on the table before walking away. She had tables to clean, so as much as she wanted to know why he was here, it would have to wait.

"I thought you were done with this job," Scott replied, sipping the first of his coffee before getting up from his seat.

"Not all of us can live the dream. I realized that I wasn't as good as I thought I was."

"Bullshit," was his response, one that caused Evie to take a step back. "When John mentioned you working at a cafe not far from your apartment, I thought he was kidding."

She never expected the line to work, but that dream was a lifetime ago, and Evie knew that lifestyle was never going to happen for her. "Scott, what are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you... in private," Scott whispered, so quiet in fact that Evie barely heard it.

Looking over her shoulder at the line-up, Evie bit her tongue. "You caught me at a bad time. As you can see, I can't exactly bail on work."

Reaching into his pocket, Scott slid a hotel key on the table. "Room 915. See me when you can."

Evie knew it wasn't a good idea, but he had come all this way and she knew there was no way to convince him otherwise. "What is it?"

"I can't talk about it here. Please."

Swallowing hard, Evie picked up the key and shoved it in her pocket. "I'll see what I can do."

**~0~**

Evie wasn't sure exactly why she was here. Sure, part of her was excited to see him, as she convinced her boss to let her off an hour early, but her curiosity and desire were waning once she stopped to stand in front of room 915. Behind that door were so many questions, but part of her wanted to let it be, to let him know that they were over, and whatever reason he had for seeing her, she couldn't risk changing her mind. For his sake or hers.

After all, Scott deserved closure, even if every word out of Evie's mouth would be a lie. She hated her circumstances, but the whole hurt-him-to-save-him argument was the only choice she had left.

A step closer to the door, she slid the hotel room key in the slot, watching the green dot light up, but before she could grab the handle, the door was opened for her.

"Why hello Miss Chambers. Please... come inside."


	17. April

**April**

_**April 24**_

Someone was here.

Victor looked around Watchtower, which was supposed to be abandoned before he got here, but there was a single monitor light flashing in his face. It didn't take long for him to realize that it was carelessness, not Chloe.

He took a couple steps further, noticing the papers spread around the console, and that's when he knew. It wasn't strong, but he caught a hint of her perfume, and the only thing he could say as he bowed his head was, "What are you doing here?"

Victor waited, but there was no response, just silence around him. "Come on, I know you're here."

Turning when he heard a clattering noise from the upper floors, Victor saw Evie finally showing herself. All of her nervous tells were on display: biting her bottom lip, her right hand gripping her left forearm as she continued towards the steps, deliberating her words. "Just... covering bases."

"You could have asked Chloe, you know that right?" It was an empty question, Victor knew that. Evie was hiding something from everyone, he could feel it.

Braving a look in his direction, Evie swallowed hard as she continued down the steps. It was bad enough Victor of all people had caught her here. At this point, the only thing that would make it worse is if she said why she came, but she could also see the determination in his eyes. "This was something I had to do."

Victor watched as Evie started to gather up her things, and he wanted to push her further, but he decided to plan it cool for now. "So you're good?"

"Yeah, I was just leaving." Evie grabbed the last of her things from the console, sharing a glance with Victor as they met eyes. It was probably a couple seconds at most, but it felt like forever, the desperation of her eyes, the resolve of his staring back. Evie knew she had to get out fast, so she turned and began to head for the doors, hoping Victor would let her get there.

But in her movement, a single paper slipped from her hands onto the floor. She kept walking; unaware of that fact, so Victor leaned down to pick it up, freezing at what he saw when he flipped it over. He hadn't meant to read it, but there it was, in big black letters.

Sadie Warrick.

It meant nothing to most people, but this was the alias that Victor had caught Evie setting up last July. Whatever reasons she might have for going back to that, they couldn't be good. He had every intention of letting her walk for now, but informing Chloe of the visit. However, that wasn't an option anymore, as now more than anything, Victor knew whatever Evie was planning, he had to address it now.

Victor picked up his pace, and fortunately found Evie still waiting for the elevator. Grabbing her arm, he turned her around and pushed the paper in her face. "What is this?

Evie stared ahead, mortified by what she saw. He wasn't supposed to see that.

Her expression affected Victor for a second, as he never meant to get rough with Evie, but he couldn't take the safe route anymore. "Are you running again? Is that what this all about?"

"It's complicated," was her response, as Evie didn't know what else to tell him. Running away would be a consolation prize next to what she had brought upon herself.

Victor saw her reaching out to grab the paper, but he pushed it out of her reach. "Then explain it to me." Evie expectedly shook her head, but Victor pressed on, wanting the truth. "Come on, since when do we keep secrets from each other?"

It's not what Evie wanted to say, but the easiest answer she had was, "Since you decided we had to part ways."

Victor wasn't buying that for a second, as there was no way she was pinning her strange behaviour on him. "You agreed to that. You know it was for the best." When Evie didn't have a retort, he took a step towards her, so he stood within inches of her. "Whatever you have Chloe hiding for you, it's bigger than she realizes isn't it? And she has no idea what it's doing to you."

"Fine!" Evie blurted, taking a couple steps backwards as she couldn't handle his proximity. "If not that, how does 'since you and Oliver decided to research intelligence about me behind my back' work for you?"

She saw how Victor's expression changed, so she scoffed lightly. "I saw the research and there is only one person you could have gotten that intel from, and only one person that she'd risk giving it to." Victor's face admitted everything to her, so Evie pressed on, telling him how she knew. "Chloe's a close second, but Tess has easier access to Oliver."

Victor didn't know what to say, she was right. But Oliver had sworn him to secrecy, and it wasn't like he could risk more phone calls to Evie. It was then that he realized he hadn't done anything wrong. This was the path they had chosen a month ago. "We were trying to protect you, something that you're trying to compromise right now."

"I'm not." Evie fired back, but knowing anger wasn't the solution, she sighed before meeting his eyes again. "But Victor please, I need you to drop this."

He had noticed her mood change, but Victor wasn't quite ready to back down yet. "Or else what?" That comment sprung Evie into action, as she headed over to hit the elevator button. "What are you going to do?"

No response, not even another sigh, as Evie continued to look at the floor, the furthest position for her eyes to go that weren't towards him. Taking calculated paces towards her, Victor noticed her head turn slightly towards him before it snapped back. She was close to breaking, that much was clear.

Walking around her so that Victor stood between Evie and the elevator doors, he said, "You know that Bart and I are going to figure out what's going on." He said it as reassurance, hoping that she'd open up, but when she hadn't moved, he lifted her chin with his finger, just barely meeting her eyes. "You're not alone, remember?"

Evie had been surprised by the contact, but the smooth texture of his fingertips was a welcome sensation, considering the conversation. She took a deep breath, admitting falsely, "It's not a big deal," as her face told the truth, a single tear sliding down her cheek almost in slow motion, yet she still added, "I can handle it."

Reaching up, Victor stopped the tear's progress, his fingers lingering on her cheek, as he moved his other hand from her chin to the side of her neck. "Nice try, but whatever this is, it's not small."

Blinking the last of the tears back, Evie leaned towards his hands, not wanting to get caught up in this moment, but her body wasn't letting her do what she wanted. She knew this was likely the last time she saw Victor, so she managed the smallest of smiles, lifting her hand to take his off her face. He likely knew she was holding into everything by a thread, and she couldn't risk breaking. "I need you to trust me on this one."

She felt awful saying that, knowing the lie it was that she could handle everything, and knowing that she was an awful liar when it came to Victor. So it didn't surprise her when he said calmly, "Why can't you just tell me what's going on?"

"Because I can't," was her immediate reply, fully breaking both forms of contact. She had to get out of here, but he was blocking her exit, and Evie knew now that he wasn't about to let her walk out.

"That's not good enough," Victor said, shaking his head. "You have to tell someone, it might as well be me."

The elevator doors had come to their floor, opening up, and Evie wanted to walk around him to get there, but after a quick peek, she noticed them closing again. Upon hearing them shut, she whispered, "No, it really can't."

Victor had heard the doors close, knowing that alone would give them more time, or rather, him more time to figure this whole thing out. "Why not?"

Evie shrugged, as she took a step backwards. "Because it's going to make things worse."

"We can help you, Evie," Victor said as he walked towards her, but Evie kept stepping back, as if she was afraid of him now. "Whatever it is, we're a team, and we'll get through this."

All those days behind steel doors, behind a computer screen, saving each other's lives, Evie had been one of the few people in his life that hadn't let him down, and it was killing him that she was acting like this right now.

What he didn't know was how much it was killing Evie, as all she wanted to do was tell him everything, but she couldn't. "Please... _please_Victor, don't make this harder than it already is."

"What are you talking about?" Victor couldn't understand what he was making harder, all he had done was show a little concern. "Evie, what did you do?"

"Nothing, I –" Evie stopped instantly, biting her lip hard, keeping a second wave of tears from showing. "I ca—"

"Why not?" Victor interjected, tired of the word 'can't' coming from Evie's lips.

"I won't risk anyone else, especially you," Evie blurted as she finally looked up, surprised that she wasn't able to stop herself from adding, "Because I love you Vic." She noticed the shock in his eyes, but Evie couldn't blame him, as she doubted that he could have expected that.

But it was the truth. All this time, he had been right there with her, accepting of her, and even though the last thing she wanted was to fall for someone in this time in her life, Victor made it impossible not to. He was her hero.

It was that fact that made what she was about to do almost impossible, but there was no way other way. "And I'm really sorry about this."

Victor's expression changed from shock to confusion almost immediately. "Wha—"

He never had a chance to finish his thought, as Evie had taken control, forcing him to stay in his place as she walked around him to get to the elevator. Fortunately, it was still on the floor, so it opened right away. She got inside and desperately pressed the close door button before releasing her power once the doors started to close.

After a single blink, Victor turned around, seeing her solemn face in the elevator, so he rushed towards the elevator, reaching out to stop the door, but he was too late. His fist collided with the closed doors, and out of frustration, he punched the door again.

Knowing that following her was going to be next to impossible when she wanted to be invisible, Victor rushed back into Watchtower, seeing if he could stop whatever she was up to.

Only he realized Evie implemented the lockdown on Watchtower's server, meaning that he couldn't stop the elevator and there was no way she intended on seeing him again. Fortunately, the database's history still had a couple files intact and Victor quickly noticed that she wasn't inputting information, she was taking information out. Every file, every piece of information Lex had on Evie was gone. Victor rushed over to where they kept the back-up flash drives, relieved they were still there. But they were also blank.

It didn't take much for Victor to realize that this is what Evie was up to, not to mention the sudden arising of her Sadie Warrick persona, so Victor worked that angle, researching everything he had compiled on it a long time ago.

Fortunately, Evie hadn't found all of those files, but he found things that he never expected. The emergency fund was emptied last week, and everything to do with the alias had been shut down as of... tonight.

That couldn't be right.

**~0~**

The ten minute walk from Watchtower to her apartment had almost felt like a nightmare, but that was nothing in comparison to the meltdown Evie had when she got back.

Breathing hard as she looked around, Evie crumpled to the floor. She couldn't take it anymore. The whole time she was hiding her secret, she found a way to just hide the truth, not to lie to everyone she cared about. This was killing her and everywhere she looked, all she could see was the mistakes she made, all she could hear were the voices of the people she had let down.

The apartment had taken the punishment, as tables had been overturned, picture frames broken, among other things as Evie sat in the middle of it, shaking her head.

She should have left. She should have gone and never looked back. It would have been hard, but now everything was held in the balance in her decision. A decision she had already made but it was all because she had become sloppy. Victor had been right back then, coming to Metropolis was a mistake, and now she knew the only way to keep everyone else safe was to pay the ultimate price.

But in doing so, she had to possibly betray the person she cared about the most. What was she thinking, telling him that? And controlling him afterwards? Really?

Not bothering to fix the apartment, Evie packed up a couple things and left the door wide open as she approached the elevator. She knew it wasn't the smartest move, but she only made things worse if she stayed.

It was only a matter of time before Victor came to find her, and she knew she couldn't face him again, not after what she said, and especially not after what she had to do to get out of Watchtower.

**~0~**

After Victor called him, Bart bolted out of bed and zipped right over to Evie's apartment, but stopped suddenly upon seeing the door open.

"Cuz?" He pushed the door opened further, listening to the creak as it revealed the room, causing Bart to panic more. He did a quick tour of the room, then again, again, and again, but no sign of her.

Turning his head, he then noticed her cell phone, open on the counter. Bart picked it up and moved press a button to make it light up, his eyes widening as he read the message on the screen.

_Don't look for me, please. Goodbye_

* * *

><p><em><strong>April 25<strong>_

Since Bart had found the text message, the team has pulled an all-nighter, trying to figure out what happened to Evie. They determined that she wasn't taken, through how the room was trashed, but that didn't make their work any easier.

From there, everyone split up to cover more ground, but they agreed to meet up, try to see their progress, no matter how little they had.

The last to get back to Watchtower was Victor, who, among other things, was waiting for Metro was open, hoping for a clue.

"Any luck?" Oliver asked, not expecting a positive answer.

Victor shook his head. "No sign since Thursday." It didn't help that he could never get the right employees. Most of the people were new and hardly knew Evie. Unfortunately, the one person he knew that could help was on vacation.

"It's not like her," Bart stated, feeling restless as he walked around the room, trying to figure out an answer for this. "She usually tells me when she's taking off." It was part of their deal, being family. Even stuff she didn't tell Chloe, Bart liked to think Evie kept him in the loop. Except this time, he knew nothing.

"She hasn't been herself for a while though," Lois said. They had tried to block her out, but she barged her way into the hero's HQ, making it clear that she wasn't about to sit back.

Neither was Chloe, as she had spent hours looking over camera footage, only to come up empty. She wanted to say she was surprised, but she wasn't. In the last couple months, Chloe had taught Evie about all of the blind spots because she couldn't do patrol. There were loopholes, but Evie had avoided them thus far.

"Lois is right," Dinah added, taking off her dark wig and placing it on the table. She hated being so distant from the circumstances, but that was the fact of her job. She was just grateful that she was en route to Metropolis when Evie went missing. Her groundwork was yet to come, but she was willing to pull whatever strings she could to bring Evie back. Dinah may have gotten to know her during a lighter time in her life, but she appreciated what the other woman sacrificed.

Chloe shook her head. "She wouldn't just leave like this." The whole time, she had trusted Chloe, but for some reason, she pushed away this time.

"Yeah, she would," Oliver interjected, causing everyone to look at him. He noticed how no one glared at him harsher than his girlfriend, but he pressed on. "She had a plan to leave before." Looking over to the couch, he remembered the morning when she told him everything. It was all there, the frustration and sorrow in her expression, yet the slight hope that things would be better. All this time, he could see that hope draining, but Oliver sincerely thought Evie would re-find her spark.

"He's right," Victor replied begrudgingly. Taking over the controls, he pulled up what Evie had left behind of her alias. "This was an alias she had planned on using back in July, but I stopped her. I checked everything last night... the accounts under the name are empty. She's also been avoiding cameras since she got home from work."

Still working at the Watchtower controls, researching a different angle, Chloe turned her head over her shoulder. "How much did she have in those accounts?"

"Enough," Victor replied, knowing if she needed more, she wouldn't have been so frantic in her goodbye. Everything was under control; she just didn't anticipate Victor getting back to Watchtower before she left. If he hadn't showed...he could only wonder what her original plan was. "But she's in Metropolis, or she's not far, I know that for sure. The problem is that she doesn't want to be found."

* * *

><p><em><strong>April 31<strong>_

Lifting her head off the steering wheel of the car she was forced to hotwire a couple of hours ago, Evie took a look at the clock, gleaming as the final seconds of her freedom ticked away. She had long made her decision, but it hurt that she hid it like this, that she couldn't say goodbye to everyone.

But her fate had been sealed since she watched the green light on the hotel room door.

_"Why hello Miss Chambers. Please... come inside."_

_Evie stayed put where she was, not wanting to step anywhere inside the room if it meant Lex Luthor was with her. She stared at him, her chest muscles aching in frustration of her past pain his family brought her, but also in terror that he was in Scott's hotel room. _

_She played the innocent card, hoping he wouldn't see through it. "How do you know who I am?"_

_It didn't surprise Evie how calm her voice came out, she had learned to hide her pain well enough for years, and if she was lucky, playing it cool was the only thing that could keep her safe now._

_"You don't remember? We were introduced at a couple charity functions where you accompanied Chloe Sullivan."_

_His words seemed casual, but the way he said Chloe's name caught Evie's attention. Even though they had spoken twice, maybe three times before, it was clear that he was aware of Evie's opinion of him, which suited her just fine. It made asking her next question a lot easier. "What have you done with him?"_

_"Jumping to accusations are we?" Lex asked, eyebrow firmly raised as his eyes peered in her direction. "What makes you think I did anything to him?"_

_"If you know about my friendship with Chloe, then you can answer that question on your own."_

_Lex shrugged, played the poker face that had got him off so many times. "I have no idea what you're talking about."_

_Even though it was his father that caused Evie's life to change, it was Lex that Evie truly despised. The things he did with his father's project after she got out, the expansion, the hurt and pain he had caused to everyone around her was unforgivable, and the fact he could stand there so smug made her blood boil. "I will find him Lex... and I'll make you pay."_

_"Such a bold threat coming from the girl with everything to hide." Evie had gotten halfway down the hallway, not caring about his comment, but it was clear that Lex wasn't ready for her to leave yet. "How do you know he's not working for me?"_

_It was a petty comment meant to confuse her, but that tactic would never work on Evie. "He knows how you treated Chloe and Oliver... he wouldn't trust you for a second."_

_"Maybe not, but I provided him with the answers you couldn't, maybe he couldn't deal with the truth. Just out of curiosity, how were you planning on explaining the fact that you're the one he's looking for?"_

_Evie confidently kept walking away, showing that she was stronger than he thought if he figured she'd crack after a single comment. "I don't know what you're talking about. I was only here to get some closure." As she pressed the elevator door button, she saw it open right away, so she was ready to leave, but she heard Lex hit the door with a sharp shove after Evie got inside._

_"Closure... interesting. I suppose you're right, because after all, he did move on," he said, standing next to her in the elevator as the door closed, "which led me right to you."_

_The first few seconds of descending, Evie felt her breathing speed up, only to have her nerves escalate when he moved to press the emergency stop button. "You really should have run when you had the chance Emily, now there's nowhere for you to go." Reaching into his jacket, Lex pulled out a photo. "Look familiar?" _

_It was her alright, as Emily to boot. During happier days and if she remembered correctly, it was the picture her mother took on her first day of high school. And with that, Evie's face fell. She considered arguing, but Evie also knew that Lex was too smart for that. The sooner she gave in, the sooner she could negotiate. "What do you want?"_

_"I figured that was obvious."_

_Evie scoffed. "If you only wanted me, you could have drugged me the second you opened the door." She knew from experience that was 33.1's style._

_Lex's eyes widened at her retort, taking a step back to lean against the corner. "I'm impressed... but then again I guess there has to be a reason as to how you've stayed away from me for so long."_

_After tapping the photo against his fingers a few times, he put it away. "You know you would have gotten away with it, but you have terrible taste in friends. You found the three people who ensured that you'd never be off my radar. Although I suppose I should be thanking you... without you, I never would have been able to pinpoint the identities of the vigilantes that terrorize our streets."_

_Evie's eyes widened, as his intentions became clearer. But she refused to meet Lex's eyes to show her weakness. "You're bluffing."_

_Lex shook his head, for he wouldn't have let her walk this far without a plan. "Victor Stone, your former cellmate is roommates with your cousin and resident speedster, Bart Allen. Last I checked, they both work for Queen Industries, and while I used to think Oliver was oblivious to the world around him, it appears to be quite the opposite, isn't it?"_

_Laughing, Lex remembered when he figured it out, wondering how it had taken him so long. Queen always did have it out for him, why would 33.1 be any different. "Yes, the high school bully has grown up into a leader of the group responsible for destroying my facilities while sporting green leather, no less." He leaned forward, taking note of how dramatically Evie's body language changed in just a few seconds. "I could go into further detail, but from your expression, I see I've made my point."_

_"What do you want?" she asked again, knowing that negotiation was not likely an option anymore._

_"The choice is yours," Lex said with a shrug. "You or them."_

_"I don't understand."_

_Lex pushed himself from the corner, spreading his arms out to the side. "You want your freedom, I'll happily grant it. Someone will hand over you and Mr. Kane to the authorities where you can never be found by me again. A fresh start together or apart, but I'll never bother you again. All you just have to tell me the location and pass-codes of what they call Watchtower."_

_"And if I refuse?"_

_He took a couple steps towards her and stared down into her eyes. "Then you turn yourself in to me... or else I'll print the story that lifts all the masks of the people's so-called heroes."_

_She swallowed hard, even if she had expected as much for herself, the latter part of that sentence wasn't what she wanted to hear. "You'll keep their secret identities safe if I give myself up to you?"_

_"You have my word."_

_Evie held out her hands, ready for the cuffs or bonds he'd use on them eventually. "I'm not a traitor, Lex. Do what you want with me, but I won't let you hurt any of them."_

_"Is that your final decision?"_

_Finding her inner strength, Evie was able to say with conviction, "It's the only decision I'll make to that offer." If she could keep her friends at least somewhat safe, Evie would be satisfied with her life, no matter how short-lived it was._

_Lex titled his head before activating the elevator again. "Because I'm a generous man, I'm going to give you some time to say goodbye. I expect to see you in a month, or a phone call with an address if you change your mind."_

_Seeing the lower floors light up on the elevator, Lex added a final threat. "But...if you even whisper that we've had this conversation... your boyfriend's as good as dead. And don't think he's the only leverage that I'll use to my advantage."_

_The doors opened and Lex simply smirked as he left the elevator, leaving Evie, confidence stripped away as the reality set in._

Lex knew what he was doing, and it sure as heck wasn't generous. It was another round of mind games, trying to keep quiet, while the threat of changing her mind loomed through her mind. Evie knew that Lex wanted her, but he also wanted to keep his facilities running, and if it took people like Oliver out of the picture, it was likely worth it to Lex to let her go. But she wouldn't let him have that satisfaction. Even with her hands behind her back, she'd make this right, no matter what the cost.

But her plan wasn't quite working as she hoped. Sure, she hadn't expected everyone to forget about her, but they almost found her once, and Evie couldn't risk them being caught in the cross hairs of Lex's deal more than they already were. Oliver may have been compromised, but Lex would have played the Chloe/Watchtower card if he knew, which meant that she was still safe. Furthermore, Clark's identity was still a secret, and Evie had every intention of keeping it that way. That was why she had to say goodbye one last time, force them to understand that it had to be this way.

Leaning against the car, Evie stared ahead at her soon-to-be jail. It was the most prominent thing in the entire town, and it singlehandedly made up for the lack of evil in Smallville. The things this place stood for, the things this place caused for so many lives, the place that represented the reason Evie was forced to look over her shoulder for so many years. But she had to give credit where credit was due, Lex was smart.

He found every place Evie had messed up, and used it against her. All those years ago, she thought she had beaten him and deserved a chance to live her life. Now standing here, she knew that she should have left, gone as far away as possible, but it was too late for hindsight. It wouldn't fix anything.

**~0~**

It had been another quiet day at Watchtower, as Victor and Chloe stood next to each other, running through every angle they could think of as to where Evie could have taken off to. They had a couple solid leads, but so far no luck, and as each second ticked by, the more worried everyone got. Bart had been doing tours around town, almost getting caught inside apartments on two occasions. Oliver suited up when he could, and even Clark offered his assistance to keep Lois' involvement to a minimum after she almost got caught with breaking and entering.

But nothing came up. Evie had planned enough ahead that she was a step ahead every time, something that didn't add up to Chloe. Why wouldn't Evie come to her if she was in trouble? She was supposed to be done with running away.

In the back of her mind, she heard her phone buzzing, but she shrugged it off, focusing on the task ahead, but soon she heard Bart's voice call to her.

"Blocked number."

It could have been Lex again, it could have been anyone, but for some reason, this piqued Chloe's attention as she finally turned away from the screen, hurrying towards it. Bart caught on, tossing it right into Chloe's hand so she could open it quickly right before the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"_Hey_," Evie barely managed, as Chloe could hear her friend choking up at the single word.

But that word gave Chloe a sigh of relief as she found Bart's hopeful eyes in front of her. She nodded quickly before turning to Victor, giving him the signal to trace. "Evie, where are you?"

Taking a deep breath, Evie replied, _"I can't tell you that. Please Chloe; you have to believe me when I tell you to stop looking for me."_

"You know we won't do that," Chloe said, trying to keep the conversation going as long as possible, "You wouldn't stop for me, or any of us."

Chloe could hear Evie sniffling on the other side of the line, and it broke Chloe further that she couldn't stop whatever she was going through. Eventually, Evie found her confidence and said, _"I know, and I know it's a lot to ask, but it's the only way you'll stay safe."_

That struck a chord with Chloe. Evie had always been willing to take the short straw if it meant keeping everyone safe, but there hadn't been a recent threat. "What do you mean?"

_"I have to go. Goodbye Chloe."_

"Evie, wait—"

The line went dead, the unceremonious click repeating in Chloe's ear as she brought down the phone to her side.

"Anything?" The word barely came out as a whisper, mainly because she wasn't expecting an affirmative answer, confirmed by the silence on Victor's end. "Damn it," she yelled, Evie's final words quickly replacing the click as the only sounds she could hear.

**~0~**

Evie didn't wait for Chloe to finish the sentence, instead she hung up before she or Victor could trace the call, or even the chance that Clark could track her down. Tossing the burner phone on the ground, she smashed it with her shoe. Looking at the shattered pieces on the ground, she wiped a single tear from her eye and approached the door to the Luthor mansion.

It took a couple of minutes for someone to come to the door, but once Evie saw it open, she said, "My name is Evelyn Chambers, I believe Mr. Luthor is expecting me."


	18. May

**May**

_**May 2**_

Victor paced back and forth, knowing that it wasn't likely that she knew anything, but they were running out of leads. Looking up, he noticed a familiar face, not the one he wanted, but maybe something had come up in the police investigation. "Anything?" he asked optimistically when she gets close.

Lois shook her head, who had only stopped by the cafe for her fill-up on caffeine. "A few calls on the tip line, but nothing legit. You?"

About to shake his head, Victor heard his name being called out to him, causing him to turn around. "Maybe," he whispered to Lois, before moving quickly towards the other woman.

She was a regular person, with no clue as to who Evie really was, but she talked to Angie at Metro and Victor was hoping she was the break that he was waiting for.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

"This is about Evie isn't it?" Angie asked, as she had seen the news, the missing person report. She had gone away from the city for a few weeks, but she never expected _this_ when she got back.

Victor nodded. "Do you know anything?"

"I'm not sure," she replied calmly, looking around her before speaking. Angie had actually considered coming forward, but she had hoped it was nothing. "This guy came into the shop about a month ago and it really shook Evie up." In fact, she had never seen her co-worker like that, not even after the bank robbery. "A guy from her past was all that she said about him."

Knowing Victor would want a description, Angie continued, "6 feet tall, slightly-long dark brown hair, mid-to-late 20s. Ordered a half-fat latte if it helps." One look at Victor's face and she knew it did. "Who is he?"

All this time, everyone considered the possibility of Scott coming back into her life, including Chloe who was the only one who knew about John's visit, but the fact that Scott had visited Metropolis, possibly days before she disappeared, could answer a lot of questions. "Someone... he can help me find her." He wanted to say more, but Angie knew too much as it was. "Thank you."

He had turned around and started to walk away, when he heard Angie ask in response, "Wait a second. Should I report this to the police if it helps?"

Stopping in his place, Victor shook his head. Normally, that would be the thing to do, but they couldn't risk this information going public. They had to find a way to get to Evie without relying too much on the police investigation. Besides, there was the fact that, "They won't know what to do with it."

When Victor turned to her once more, Angie took in his expression and understood the seriousness of his words. "Okay, just... bring her home."

"I plan on it," he replied. "Really, thank you Angie." Once again, he turned around and found Lois standing still standing where he left her. He approached her, knowing he would need her help for this lead, but within seconds of seeing him, Lois got off the phone.

"Evie's brother's names... _now._"

Victor blinked, surprised by the question, but quickly replied, "Will and Jason. Why?"

Lois smiled as she stuffed her phone in his purse and began walking down the street. This wasn't something she was going to let sit for very long. "The former may have called into the station."

It didn't take Victor long to pick up his pace and follow her, even before Lois had spoken. "How?"

"I don't know," Lois replied, and honestly she didn't care. "But they have a recording with my name on it at the station." They were always afraid of the chance her two worlds were colliding, and now it definitely felt like that was the case. "My contact said it was a guy from Michigan claiming Evie was his long-lost sister. Gave out some interesting details we didn't disclose in the report."

Lois knew Evie's story down to a tee and when her contact said that the brother mentioned that she never came home from soccer practice to say goodbye, Lois knew this was something she had to hear. They would have to tread carefully, but Lois needed that recording before it got into the wrong hands. "Coming?"

"Absolutely." There was no way that Victor wasn't coming with her. Not only because he knew what her brother sounded like, but also because things were finally going their way, and he had to know if it there was even the slightest chance that things were too good to be true.

**~0~**

Oliver nodded as Victor filled him in. It wasn't what he wanted to hear, but at least they were solid leads in the right direction. However, telling his girlfriend was another thing. Chloe had been working solid hours, falling asleep at the console, just barely getting by on coffee. If he told her this now, it would only push her harder and Oliver was concerned as it was.

Stepping into Watchtower, the sight in front of him felt familiar. He stepped towards her carefully, eventually wrapping his arms around her chest when he got close enough. "Chloe, how about you take a rest for a bit?"

"I can sleep when I know she's safe." Chloe wasn't a fool, she knew Victor was standing right behind her and that Oliver wanted him to take over. "Everyone says that I can't handle things, but I can do this."

But then it hit her as he continued to stand there. "You know something." Chloe pushed Oliver off her as she walked away from him. She had heard Victor's name announced over five minutes ago, and with the luck they have been having lately, updates were thirty seconds tops. "I can't believe you expect me to walk away when you know something. Spill or I swear to —"

"We have a lead," Oliver interjected before dipping his head slightly. "But you're not going to like it."

"Try me."

Oliver looked to Victor this time, who had been standing quietly throughout the exchange. Sighing, he uncrossed his arms and pushed past the blondes, not caring about either's reaction. "Oliver's right, so I'm only showing you if you promise to take an hour's rest in Watchtower and I personally promise to keep you informed."

"You're kidding me right?" Chloe asked, shocked that Victor would make such an offer.

Dropping the flash drive on the console, Victor turned around to make his point. "We all want to find Evie, but when we're tired, we get careless. In doing so, we may miss our chance in getting her back and I'm _not_ making that risk."

Chloe huffed, knowing the rational point Victor was making, but she didn't want to rest, not now. However, each minute they wasted arguing was a minute not spent finding her, and Chloe knew she could trust Victor in keeping up her search. "One hour, fine."

Victor stared at her intently, and then seemed satisfied by her answer before turning back to the computers, inserting the drive into the system. "The whole time, it confused me as to why she wanted us to give up. The high road was her fallback card, but why now?" Clicking to the footage he needed, Victor paused as he remembered what he saw the first time. "When we escaped 33.1... I made a sacrifice to protect everyone else. Now she's returning the favour."

"Victor, what are you talking about?" Chloe nervously looked to Oliver, who just shrugged, as Victor hadn't disclosed this part in their earlier conversation.

Victor brought the mouse over the play button, but paused once more. "I finally was able to get the right person at Metro, and she said Evie started feeling weird at the beginning of the month, right after she was approached by, and I quote, 'a guy from her past.'"

Chloe immediately gasped. "That can't be right."

Seeing the shock in Chloe's eyes, Oliver placed his hand on her back, silently confirming who she was thinking of, even if Victor hadn't nodded. "That was the only conclusion I could come up with, so I tracked Scott's recent activities. He was in Metropolis, staying at a nearby hotel, only when I called the hotel, they said that he was supposed to leave two weeks ago, but he never checked out."

He took a hard, shaky breath as the pointer hovered over the play button. "With some help from Lois, who is still running this on the streets, we convinced them to let us see their camera footage." Finally, Victor played the button and turned to gauge the blondes' reaction, not being able to watch the footage a second time. Then again, what he had seen had practically engrained in his mind when he watched the first time.

The elevator door opening, Lex coming out, and the prolonged pause before Evie stepped out herself, wiping her eyes before disappearing from the camera's range. There was no audio, so instead, he could only watch as Chloe covered her mouth, shaking her head at the footage.

"He knows," she finally whispered, as the situation upon which Evie disappeared was finally clear. Everyone had hoped it wasn't going to be the worst case scenario, but it appeared that Lex had found his way to Evie, with enough leverage to give herself up.

"And I think there's a very high chance that he knows at least one of your identities. Bart and I are already compromised, so I asked him to come here." Being the fastest man alive and getting benched wasn't what he wanted to hear, but he knew it had to be done. "We'll stay underground, but you two be careful."

AC and Dinah weren't in town long enough and Victor sincerely doubted that Lex could catch on to Clark based on his part-time status. That left the blondes in front of him, as there had to be a reason she didn't tell Chloe anything about her encountering Lex. It's why she didn't want them to follow her, why she said goodbye. They were already compromised.

Only that wasn't going to stop them, not in Chloe's mind. If they had nothing to lose, then they were going to fight and find her. But the guys were right... she was more tired than she thought.

"Okay, a deal's a deal," she said, before turning away from the console, Oliver right behind her as she approached the stairs.

**~0~**

Bart hadn't heard much of the intervention to get Chloe to rest and watching the footage wasn't what he wanted to see, but once Chloe and Oliver left, there was something he had to get across to his friend. "You're not one to talk."

Victor took a second to turn over his shoulder before quickly working through Watchtower's database. Bart could lecture him all he wanted, but he wasn't going to sit back now, because this was all his fault. "We have to find her."

Bart shook his head as he fired back, "I know that, but you don't think I see it?" The implication of the question was initially lost on Victor, but based on the volume of Bart's tone, Victor swallowed hard, realizing what the other man meant. He turned to explain to Bart that he was misguided, but he had already expected as much.

He was family, the only family Evie held onto, and being protective of each other was almost second nature. There had been something brewing for months, even if they were too stupid to admit it. "It's more personal for you than it is for Chloe."

Victor hated to admit it, but he didn't have an answer for Bart. All he could do was turn back to his work, not wanting to waste another second. "If it wasn't for me, she would have left. I convinced her to fight, and now..."

"She made a choice, to save all of us." Bart sighed, hating having to be the one giving anyone a lecture, but someone had to. "That means we have to be ready when we find her, not running on adrenaline. AC lands in Metropolis tonight, and I can't leave here anyway, so let the foot shoulders take the night shift."

It was like hearing the words he told Chloe echoed right back at him, and with that, Victor knew that he was right. "Fine, but the moment anything pops up, get Chloe." After all, he did promise her. When Bart nodded, Victor headed upstairs. But as he reached the top, he noticed Oliver exiting one of the bedrooms, eyes narrowing upon seeing Victor.

Before Oliver had a chance to ask, Victor said, "I've missed my eight hours too and Bart of all people called me on it." Looking downstairs, at the persistence of Bart behind the console was reassuring, but there were things that Victor trusted Oliver with more. "Lois is en route, but could you keep an eye on things?"

Oliver nodded, but he recognized the particular expression on his friend's face. "How are you?"

The real question underneath wasn't lost on Victor. He had kept his feelings to himself, but after Evie disappeared, he cracked and Oliver noticed. "I keep thinking back to that night, thinking I should have been able to stop her."

Reaching out to place a hand on Victor's shoulder, Oliver said what he could. "I get what you're feeling, I really do, but we'll bring her back." At this point, he couldn't promise more.

Victor let out a small smile, knowing the sincerity behind his words. "You did come back from an island, so I believe anything's possible, but that doesn't reduce the guilt."

"Well, I'm here if you need to talk."

"Thank you," Victor replied, but as he reached into his pocket, he was quickly reminded of another lead that came to their attention. "There's something I need to speak to Chloe about first."

He walked around Oliver and towards the room he had left. Knocking lightly, he opened the door. Chloe was as far from sleep as a person could be, not that he blamed her. Her eyes were staring straight at the ceiling and her mind was clearly active. So it didn't take long for her to notice his presence in the doorway. "Hey, what's up?"

Walking into the room fully, Victor handed a piece of paper to Chloe. "Evie's brother, he called the tip line." He entrusted the recording to Lois, because when it came to Lex's radar, she was much lower than he was. But this was something that Chloe needed to know about right away, so they agreed that Victor would give the number and go from there.

"How would he ...?"

"Apparently Scott visited the Hopkins residence a week before he came to Metropolis. This is his number... something tells me that this call should come from you."

After that, Victor got up from the bed, but Chloe called out to him before he left, "For what it's worth, thanks."

It was a stretch at best in his mind, but Victor would take anything he could get. "No problem. I know it's probably not much, but I know that I can at least push on knowing that she's still okay."

Chloe's eyebrows narrowed as the confidence of his words sunk in. "How do you know?"

Turning back around, Victor smiled slightly, "Lex wants her alive... and speaking from experience, Evie's not the most cooperative captive." She had built plenty of strength the first time behind bars and the time that passed would only build her resolve. "She may have given into his game, but before they have to a chance to realize it, she'll have them playing by her rules."

**~0~**

No matter how many years had passed, she never forgot how this felt. Cold metal against her wrists, keeping her inches from the wall. The blindfold over her eyes, in case she got any ideas. The chill in the air that almost made her grateful that they kept her body parts close to each other, keeping her warm. This was captivity, but also her home from here on.

She heard the door open and hearing the steps come in, Evie knew the time of solitude was over. After she walked into the Luthor mansion, they didn't waste much time before they drugged her and since she'd woken up, she had been alone. Not that she minded. Sure, Lex may have figured that it would drive her nuts, but she could handle the silence because she knew what was coming and it no longer scared her. If she had to get more battle scars to keep the world safe, then that is exactly what she would do.

"A little overkill don't you think?" Evie asked, clanking her restraints for effect.

She had expected silence, or at least one of the goons to give her a sarcastic response, but instead, she heard from Lex himself. "I want to ensure you don't run this time."

The funny thing about 'running' was that there were restraints last time, and they didn't just run, they escaped from that hell hole. But this time was different and Evie couldn't run. "Don't you get it Lex? Running only destroys the people I care about." She let out a chuckle before adding, "You won."

Feeling his hands on her blindfold, Evie's eyes struggled to adjust to the light before noticing Lex kneeling in front of her. "I haven't won anything yet." Lex moved to stand up again, strategically pacing in the room. "There are too many consequences to this ability, so let's see how much we can test it."

Evie looked between Lex and the other men and she couldn't help but shake her head. No matter the first name, Luthors would never understand. "Your father did for years, heck, I've been testing it." She knew that her powers would make her a target, but it was never exactly what they wanted. If nothing else, the price would be too high. "What makes you think that you'll have any more luck?"

Lex smirked, as technology had much advanced in the past few years, and leverage wasn't something his father had the courtesy of. Back then, Emily was a girl with nothing to lose, but now, Evie had created roots and Lex had every intention of using them to their full advantage. "Motivation is a tricky thing, pushes people to their limits, limits they didn't even know they had."

What he was talking about wasn't motivation, but Evie could cut through his comment to tell Lex what he needed to hear. "It won't matter what you do to him. I've stopped bullets Lex, I've saved people out of desperation before. My little display at the bank robbery, that's the best I have."

Lex smiled, glad to hear the confirmation from her own lips regarding the bank robbery. "Do you enjoy underestimating yourself?"

"It's called being a realist Lex," Evie replied as she attempted to shrug a shoulder, "and you'll soon find that you've been chasing the wrong girl."

* * *

><p><em><strong>May 9<strong>_

Evie had lost track of the mornings she woke up like this, groggy and disoriented. For what felt like days, Lex was true to his word, making her test her ability, controlling people for long periods of time in an attempt to stretch her limits. The physical torture wasn't high on his list, aside from tasering her awake and a couple of beatings, so the main source of pain was her mental state.

She wanted to say no, in fact, she did once, but the result was her being dragged to another room, and despite being the girl could practically control everything, she could only watch over a television screen as Scott's ribs were bruised or broken through repeated beatings. However, that wasn't enough, as instead of the screen going black, there was footage of Victor, Bart, Oliver, the threat, Lex's side of the so-called bargain still very real.

So she complied, albeit reluctantly, almost relieved when her consciousness ran out. This whole thing was sick. It didn't bother Lex that people were being killed every day, or potentially every hour, as time was lost on her. It never bothered him that each time she blacked out, Evie lay unconscious somewhere, completely dead to anyone else who didn't know the truth.

Because of that, Lex kept pushing, wanting Evie to do more, expecting something more than what she gave him, but Evie wouldn't give him that satisfaction. She had added maybe a couple new tricks to her repertoire, but even that wouldn't be enough for Lex, To Lex, the duration of time was still too short, too dependent on energy and not strong enough, and that suited Evie just fine.

However, the defiance had apparently gotten to Lex, as he had threatened one day of transferring her to a so-called 'safe place' if she didn't 'cooperate,' and that day seemed to be today, as this time she woke up in a trunk of a car, with fresh restraints, not that it really mattered to her. Even if she could see anything in the trunk, freedom was the furthest thing from her grasp now.

Feeling the car stop, Evie prepared herself for the worst, not knowing what was ahead. The trunk door was opened, but all she could see was the light. Soon after, she couldn't see anything as a blindfold was tied over her eyes.

Within seconds, the hands moved to her body as she was lifted from the trunk, her feet banging hard against the car before landing on what Evie could only imagine was a lackey's body, her body resting on his shoulder. Time continued to tick by slowly as he turned corners, went down steps, walked down corridors, without even losing a step or a breath. This clearly wasn't his first rodeo when it came to 33.1, a fact that scared Evie, but she was just ready to be alone. It was only when she was alone that she felt even a hint of peace within herself. At least a couple ribs were cracked, her lip swollen from a couple beatings, but Lex always insisted that they take it easy on her.

Unfortunately, her world wasn't easy anymore, as a reminder came in the form of a familiar voice before she was slammed onto the ground.

"I'm not telling you anything, so you might as well kill me now."

Cursing internally at the pain, Evie grimaced upon hearing his voice. It was hard enough that she took his dad from him, but now she was responsible for taking Scott's own freedom away from him. Seeing him firsthand like this was never going to be easy.

"I could," Lex's irritatingly sly voice interjected, "but that would disappoint our special guest, and you wouldn't want to do that... especially on her birthday."

_So that's how long it had been_, she thought to herself, feeling her arms being grabbed by two different guards, dragging her through a doorway before stopping far enough for Evie to sense light in the room. Her blindfold was taken off and Evie found Scott's eyes within seconds.

"Evie?" He couldn't believe what he was seeing, but he knew it was her. Seeing the blood that stained her clothes, he felt his anger build up, but no words would come out, much to Lex's delight.

"Right now you're probably realizing that not only did you lead me right to her, despite your defiance here, but you also gave me the leverage that I needed to get her for myself."

Closing his eyes, Scott let the words sink in, realizing how much of a fool he had been. They had been right all along, and he should have just let sleeping dogs lie.

Seeing that he had rattled the other man, Lex turned to Evie. "Then there's you... lying to this innocent man all this time." Kneeling in front of her, he ripped the tape from her mouth. "Kind of twisted to fall for your handler's son, don't you think?"

At this point, Evie was doing everything in her power to not break, so she held her expression strong, no matter how hard she bit her tongue.

"The icing on the cake... I offered her a way out, for both of you... but she refused. So get comfortable, because for you two, this is home sweet home."

The reminder of the deal, as crippling as it was, was what it took for Evie to find her voice, and her confidence again. "The world needs its heroes to rely on... it'll carry on without me, but I wouldn't sleep knowing I betrayed everyone I cared about." She looked straight into Lex's eyes, and said, "I regret a lot of things in my life, but not that decision."

"Fair enough," Lex said as Evie got dragged to another wall. "Consider this a birthday present." After the guards shoved Evie to the floor, her stomach colliding hard with the concrete, her leg was then clamped to a shackle on the floor before they men backed away. "You have five minutes alone," Lex called out from the doorway, "Use them well."

Hearing the door shut, Evie looked up at Scott's eyes again, a moment she had tried so hard to avoid, but knew it was inevitable since the moment she walked through the door to the Luthor mansion.

"Well," he deadpanned with a small grin on his face, "I guess it's still possible you never lied about your birthday."

"How?" Evie croaked out, just barely holding back her feeling of guilt. "How did you find out?"

"Your dad gave me a picture," Scott replied, watching as Evie's head popped up. He had been expecting her surprise, but he pressed on, "You grew up a little, but... I'd know your smile anywhere." Looking down at the shackles that kept his legs in place, he shook his head. "It's probably how Lex found out too."

"How is he? My dad, I mean."

"It's hard to tell, talking about the daughter that he feels he let down in every way..." Scott wanted to tell her more, but it wouldn't make anything better. "I don't get it Evie... why didn't you tell me?"

"Getting tortured because I'm some sort of freak didn't exactly fall under normal teenage drama." Sure, her family drama was real, but that was because it was the only remotely regular thing she had experienced in the past six months. She couldn't talk about her prom or her graduation because it never happened and she couldn't get too specific about friends or family, because she might as well have none. "Besides, how could I tell you that your father _died_ because of me? He may not have been around, but he was _so _proud of you. It almost killed me that I ruined your family."

Her eyes shut momentarily, but what she wasn't expecting was to hear Scott let out a chuckle. Looking at him skeptically, Scott was quick to fill in the blanks. "You're always so quick to find something wrong in your life, and focus on other people's strengths instead of your own. As a result, you usually belittle all you've done right, because the truth is you're much stronger than most of us."

Exhaling loudly, Evie couldn't believe how normal this talk felt, even with restraints and the dark room around them. "How are you so calm about this?"

"I've been here for... a long time." Scott thought about it, but even if he knew the amount of time he had been here, it didn't matter. All he knew was Evie was a sight for sore eyes in these dire circumstances. "I plan on using these five minutes properly." Because it wasn't likely Lex would be so open to giving this much again.

"But you know who I am... what I can do. And I knew who you were and—"

"And what?" Scott said, not caring that he interrupted her. "Hiding your past doesn't always make you a fraud. I just respected your need for privacy."

"But—"

"Was I one of your regrets?" When he had heard Evie say to Lex that she had plenty, he couldn't help but wonder if that was the case.

Unfortunately, that question was harder to answer than a single word. Evie thought about her answer for a minute, finding the words she needed. "I'll never forgive myself for everything I took from you and our relationship is likely the reason you're here."

"But you loved me."

"Yeah," Evie said before she had a chance to stop it, but he deserved that much after everything. "I tried not to lie if I could help it. By the time we happened, I really thought I got past all this."

"Maybe you still can. You had to have done that once."

Evie dipped her head, knowing things could never be that simple. "Only one of us has a hope of getting out of here alive, and it won't be me. I made a deal with Lex and I have to live up to it."

"I'm sure guys like Green Arrow can save themselves."

"What if he was someone you knew? Someone you wanted to protect?" Evie bit the inside of her lip, knowing she had to tell Scott the truth. After all, Lex already knew the truth and one more person knowing wasn't going to hurt if they were going to be captives. "Green Arrow... is Oliver."

Scott's expression softened once Evie finished speaking. Even in their toughest hour, he had never seen her like this. "Rock and a hard place, huh?" When Evie didn't respond, he added, "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I can't blame your decision. And hey, this way we get to see each other more often."

This time, she couldn't hold the smile on her face. "You're insane."

"Can't joke with the guards... they don't have much of a sense of humour." His smile faded fast as he looked earnestly at her. "I missed you."

Evie opened her mouth, not entirely sure what she was going to say, when she heard Lex call from the doorway. "Reunions... they're so touching aren't they?"

Next thing she knew, Evie felt a prick in her neck and her world was black once again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>May 29<strong>_

Turning down the alley, Chloe knew that Oliver would likely kill her for not going without backup, but she took the chance, hoping that her friend's faith wasn't misplaced.

Within a few steps, the redhead was in sight. Turning in her spot, she smirked, grateful to see Chloe there. "Thanks for meeting me."

Chloe nodded but she wasn't about to waste time. "What is this about Tess?"

Fortunately for her, neither was Tess. She deadpanned, "I know Lex has Evelyn Chambers and I want to help." She felt stupid for not seeing it sooner, but having a name made it easier to figure out who to trust. "The way Lex talks about you... he makes it sound like you're the connection to the heroes in the city."

Chloe crossed her arms, glancing around her. "Why should I believe you?"

Tess laughed at that comment. "The fact that you don't know means that your boyfriend is a better secret keeper than I thought." Stepping towards Chloe, Tess reached into her bag to pull out a folder. She noticed Chloe's arm relax upon catching sight of the folder. "I approached Oliver a few months ago to help protect her, and well... no offence, but I'm hoping for better results from you."

Knowing that didn't answer Chloe's question, Tess continued, "Evie saved my life," It was amazing, knowing everything she had done, especially for Tess, who was a stranger. "Coincidentally, she's the only person who hasn't betrayed me in some way. When Lex said Evie was a liar, I realized I had to stop this once and for all."

Oliver and Victor had long came clean about Tess' visit, but Chloe didn't need to mention that, not when there was one burning question she always wanted to ask her former boss. "Why did you join Lex anyway... was it just a way to screw with Oliver?"

Tess sighed, reaching inside her coat to grab a single piece of paper. This wasn't something she wanted to admit, but it was the only way Chloe would trust her enough. "After Oliver... it was easy to feel alone in the world. Until Lex showed me this."

Taking the folder from Tess' hands, Chloe glanced over the individual sheet of paper on the top. She wanted to believe it was fake, that there was some way it was a lie, but it justified all of her actions and backed up Evie's story. "You're a Luthor?"

Tess nodded, but she wasn't proud of the fact she was Lionel's bastard daughter. "I thought Lex would give me something that I never had, but Evie showed me his real intentions." Gripping her hair in her hand, Tess' head dipped slightly. "I felt so stupid."

"Trust me," Chloe said with a dry chuckle, "Lex duped a lot of people before you, myself included."

"Well, inside of that folder contains all I could find about the facility I believe Evie is being held in. It's probably a trap... Lex has never made this kind of information accessible to me, but it's all I can do from my end." More than anything, Tess wanted to return the favour that Evie had showed her, maybe even appease what she'd done.

"I'll see what I can do." Chloe packed up the folder and turned to leave, but Tess' voice called out to her once more.

"For what it's worth Chloe, I'd like to apologize personally to you. If circumstances were different, I think we really could have been friends."

It seemed like a crazy idea, but the truth was that she hardly knew Tess at all. Seeing her now made Chloe realize that she was a woman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time and she was trying to redeem herself.

So she was able to reply genuinely, "Nothing says that can't change." Chloe smiled at the surprised expression on the other woman's face, but it fell quickly as she was reminded of another fact. "Evie told me about the kill chip, what happens to you?"

Tess tilted her head slightly, not expecting Chloe to know about that fact, but it really didn't matter. "If Lex decides to kill me, I at least will go down knowing that I did something to help. I can live with that."

"You didn't have much of a choice."

"Doesn't make it better Chloe. I saw the way he looked at you from day one... I should have walked away long before our conversation." Smiling before turning her back to Chloe, Tess glanced up at the night sky, knowing she had to leave soon. "But that doesn't matter now. I may be on the other side of things, but I'm still that person who wants to save the world. So please... bring her back."

* * *

><p><em><strong>May 30<strong>_

The first thing Evie felt was the strain on her arms. Her eyes opened again, feeling weaker than she had in her entire life. Such were her circumstances. It worked though, as at this point, Evie didn't mind living with a death wish, after all, unconsciousness brought her more joy than consciousness did.

Arms stretched high above her head, it was like she was a side of beef hanging, her feet inches above the ground. In front of her was a sight she knew all too well.

"What did I do to deserve the new digs?" she quipped, as a sense of humour was about all she had left. As long she could help it, even if she was breaking inside, she wouldn't let Lex see it. "Let me guess...new restraining techniques because the other ones sucked?"

The room was dark enough that it wasn't likely she'd be able to break the hard shackles on her wrists. It didn't help that they were behind her head enough that she couldn't see them without craning her neck. At this point, moving at all ached every bone in her body.

Not that Lex cared, as he laughed at her sarcastic comment. "Still have that snark I see?"

Evie shrugged as much as she could from her position. "I think it only comes out when I'm dealing with demented sadists."

"I'm going to ignore that for your sake to answer your question instead." Lex began to pace the room around her again, the only sound being his shoes making contact with the hard floor. "You are partly right, but in the end, it's all about preparation."

Laughing, despite the pain in her ribs, Evie didn't know what else he could possibly have prepared for her that she hadn't seen. "I'm not just some doll you can upgrade Lex, this is what you get. Great power, great consequence."

Lex had always seen the defiance in her eyes and considering how far her power had come since the notes he had found from last time, he had a feeling there was still more to discover. "Please Miss Chambers, I know you're holding back. Maybe if I put Scott out of his misery, then..."

He eyed her as his voice trailed, but Evie's eyes were serious. "You wouldn't do that, not because of me... but because of his value. Face it Lex, I did what you asked, and now we both have to deal with the consequences."

There it was, the constant bravado in her voice, but Lex supposed now was a good time to point out that there had been a blind sport in her choice. "I'm disappointed in you Evie… I thought you were smarter than that."

"As I did you," she replied with a loud scoff. "Do you really think I'm going to do anything for you if you kill him?"

"You really think he's the only leverage I have at my disposal?" Seeing her eyes widen, Lex knew that he had her full attention. "Chloe, Oliver... your cousin maybe. The options are endless."

Evie bit the inside of her cheek to keep her emotions in check, as she did not sacrifice everything so Lex could go back on his word. "You said that you'd leave them alone."

"I said that I wouldn't reveal their identities," Lex replied, pointing his finger towards Evie, knowing that she could identify the difference. "Besides, there's no need for me to do the dirty work when they come to me."

Walking closer towards his prisoner, Lex met her eyes and showed her just how serious he was. "I would have held up my bargain if you chose selfishly, but no, you would always choose to protect your friends, just like they'll always protect you." It was quite beautiful actually, the loyalty these so-called heroes had, and it was something Lex was relying on happening soon. "When they come, my days of hunting them will be over."

* * *

><p><em><strong>May 31<strong>_

It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were supposed to leave her be. This was supposed to be her fate.

But Lex was right, they would come for her and despite her efforts, Evie couldn't find a way out of this situation. And because she could, she listened to everything. The thuds on the floor, doors opening, the familiar voices, it was all happening.

It was a good plan as she listened in on the conversation between comms. Bart and Victor handled the computers to cover their identities, while the other three split up to find her and Scott. They had found him first and Evie wanted to feel happy, but she knew that she was next.

Fortunately, she had a plan too. They finally sent guards into her rooms, thinking she was too weak, and while she was, the severity was faked. She had heard earlier that her shackles were computer operated, so a little manipulation later and she was free from her bonds, running down the hallways of the facility. It hurt like hell, but adrenaline masked her pain enough as she rushed down the hall.

She had to explain why she was here before it was too late, and based on her hearing; she was heading the right way. And if anyone got in her way, hitched at her side was her guard's gun, something she was more than willing to use if it kept her friends safe.

**~0~**

"Talk to me Tower, where is she?"

_"I don't know, there's no stationary signal in the facility,"_ Chloe replied. _"Is it is possible that –"_

"No, she's alive," Oliver said with a smile. "It just means that's Echo's as resourceful as we thought." She was always a fighter and Oliver had no reason to believe otherwise. "Status on Black Canary and Aquaman?"

_"Heading out with Scott, last I checked," _There was a momentary pause on the line before Chloe added,_ "Hold that thought, Arrow. I have to transfer to Canary's feed."_

A couple of corners later, Oliver could hear a loud set of footsteps. He lined up his arrow, ready for his shot, but he wasn't expecting Evie to round the corner instead.

Momentarily grateful that she found him, she wanted to smile, but there were more important things to attend to. Scott was safe, and that mattered, but she quickly pleaded, "You have to go."

Putting his bow back to his side, Oliver shook his head. "I'm not leaving without you."

He had begun to approach her, but Evie held her arms up, trying to stop him. "You don't have a choice this–"

Her words were cut off by Evie getting pistol whipped, causing her to fall hard to the ground. Standing over her body with his gun pointed towards her, Lex laughed. "Did you think it was that easy? That my dear sister would reveal everything and you could just waltz in here?" Looking up, Lex scoffed at the sight of Oliver pointing his bow at him. "Take down the hood Queen, there's no need to keep your secret around here."

Oliver obliged, remembering the warning Victor had given him. It seemed like he was right, which is why they had a contingency plan in place. Taking his glasses from his eyes, he tossed them aside, watching Lex intently as he hadn't lowered his gun yet. "If you need a bullet to level the playing field, you're in the wrong game Lex."

Lex smirked as he gripped the gun tighter. "But it does its job, as did you. Following all of the bread crumbs." He was quite tempted to move his gun to shoot him after everything Oliver Queen had done, but Lex had to keep his cool. More than anything, he wanted the man to suffer.

"We knew what we were doing." Oliver prepped his bow again, but keeping it down by his side. If Lex wanted to underestimate him, that was fine, but Oliver knew he could stop him before he fired any bullet. "That's why I'm here. I _was _the one you wanted right?"

He was goading him and Lex could feel it working. Swallowing hard, he glanced down at Evie. "So how are we solving this?"

"I know you're not shooting her. Not everything you've done to get her."

Lex glanced up at Oliver. "And you're not going to kill me, it's not your style."

"Yeah, but I can still kick your ass." Smirking, Oliver quickly shot an arrow towards Lex's hand. Before the other man could react the gun was out of his hands and Oliver's fist collided with his face.

After the intial blow, Oliver hated to admit it, but the fight was fairly equal. It seemed like during his time away from the world, Lex actually considered the possibility that he would have to defend himself. But Oliver's reflexes were still too much and Lex could never get a decent shot in.

Finally, Lex opened up and Oliver took his shot, punching his chest hard, causing Lex to fall hard back to the wall. Reaching up, Oliver's hands gripped the other man's neck and squeezed hard. It was this moment that Oliver realized that he could end the threat right here. After everything Lex had done, no one would blame him.

The other man was choking hard, but still managed to say, "Do it...I... dare you."

Oliver wanted to, but he knew he couldn't. It would sink him to Lex's level, and Oliver knew that he was better than that. It took a decent amount of self restraint to loosen his grip, but Oliver knew he wouldn't be able to live with the concept that he had killed someone. So he prepared to knock Lex out and put their contingency plan into effect, but before he had the chance, he felt something plunge into his midsection.

Coughing as he backed away, he noticed the small blade that Lex had somehow pulled off his person. Looking up again, he noticed Lex walking towards him with the biggest smile on his face. The whole time, he had been trying to reach for the knife and the grip loosening was all that he needed to pull it out and defend himself.

They began to spar again, but the wound has slowed Oliver down enough that Lex could get the upper hand. Losing his balance, Oliver fell to the floor and it didn't take long for Lex to stand over him, leaning down to pull the knife from his body, tossing it far enough away so that Oliver couldn't use it.

Oliver crying out was apparently enough for Lex as he stepped back. "How does it feel Oliver?" His footsteps retreated for a minute, so Oliver tried to get up, but the wound cut deep and it was hard to move. And it didn't take long for Lex to come back. "How does it feel to be taken down by a Luthor, just like your parents?" His foot firmly on Oliver's stomach, holding him down, Lex smirked as he held the gun above his head.

"I thought about a slow, painful death for you... but I'll give you the easy way out."

Oliver thought of a retort, but he didn't get a chance to say it as Lex retracted the gun and started to move away. Confused, he tried to stand, but the wound kept him from moving too far. That's when he looked up and noticed Evie struggling to stand up again.

He knew that look, the way that she was staring at Lex, the way that he was walking over to her. She was inside of his mind, saving Oliver's life. Tapping into his comm, Oliver managed, "Arrow here... I'm hit," before coughing hard once more. He didn't hear a response, but he knew the team would come for them.

"It's okay Evie, we'll –" Hearing a click stopped his words...she wouldn't. Bringing his head up, he noticed Evie's face now full of tears.

"Victor can fix the computers," she whispered, knowing what she had to do. She honestly didn't know why she didn't think of it sooner, maybe it was because she wasn't expecting to do this after everything. But when Lex knocked her to the ground, it wasn't enough to knock her out. She was just way too damn weak to get up right away and even now she felt herself fading, the headaches increasing by the second.

All this time, Evie knew Lex wanted her alive. Even if her mental state was fraying, she had value to him. One bullet could change everything and while she had lost her gun somewhere in her pursuit to find Oliver, Lex had one in his hand, making this at least a little easier.

"What are you—" Oliver tried to talk as he tried to get closer to her, because if she was doing what he thought, he had to stop her.

"Moira can mess with his memory," she replied, now feeling Lex's gun against her chest as the man unknowingly stood before her.

"This isn't your solution," Oliver cried, damning the pain as he tried to stand up again, but fell seconds later.

"Maybe not, but this," she replied as she looked up at one of the cameras, hoping that neither Bart nor Victor was watching, "This is all the proof you need to bring him down."

"Evie no," he yelled, only to close his eyes seconds later upon hearing the gunshot.

* * *

><p><em>Sera's Scribbles: Apologies on the delay, but I haven't been able to do much writingediting lately. I blame hockey coming back... and the fact that action scenes are probably the hardest thing to write besides NC-17 for me._ _So to make up for it, I decided to make this one parts instead of two. More to come..._


	19. June part 1

**June**

_**June 1**_

Twenty hours.

Twenty long hours waiting, hoping.

It was hard enough watching Emil go from person to person, treating injuries, keeping an eye on the heart monitors while in Watchtower, or even just the frazzled state of those involved.

Although Oliver had spent the majority of the time watching Chloe, it was hard not to walk over to the other room, she was one of his closest friends after all, and she did save his life, no matter how unorthodox her methods were. But that didn't make walking to her room any easier. How did she think that was a good idea, sacrificing herself like that? How could she do that? Then again, none of those questions mattered as long as she was unconscious.

Standing in the doorway, he caught Bart's eye momentarily, her devoted cousin who hadn't left her side once Scott had let her go. Everyone thought that he would stay with her too, but once the adrenaline died off, it was clear how much physical trauma he went through. So he sat downstairs, while Dinah and AC, despite his separated shoulder, kept an eye on him.

Giving Bart a final look before leaving the room, Oliver had taken about three steps away before he heard Bart exclaim, "Cuz?" Stumbling back to the doorway, he found the two in a tight embrace before Evie pulled back quickly.

"Bart? Oh god, please don't tell me that Chloe..."

"She did," Oliver interjected, knowing that she blacked out before she could manipulate Lex to fire his gun, "just not you."

"Oliver," Evie said, a smile replacing the confusion on her face, "you're okay." He nodded before stepping into the room. "How long?"

"Twenty hours."

Bowing her head, Evie knew that was a long time, longest that she could remember in fact. The fact Chloe wasn't here only meant she was still recovering, and she felt herself swallow hard in consequence. "Oliver, you know better than anyone else. The gun was... right here."

Oliver's face went white, forgetting that Evie had no idea of the events that transpired. Missions like this often don't come easy, but the rescue mission had consequences that Oliver was scared to tell her. "That's a story for later."

She saw the worry in his eyes, but she had to know what happened, or rather what she caused. "You don't have to say anything... just..." Her voice trailed Oliver's expression hardened. "It's that bad?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Oliver replied, essentially waving the white flag as he closed his eyes, remembering exactly what happened to him.

_"Evie no," he yelled, only to close his eyes seconds later upon hearing the gunshot. She knew it would end up like this, willing to sacrifice herself for the cause, but he couldn't watch her do it. _

_When Oliver opened his eyes, he initially wondered if his wound was causing him to hallucinate. But after a few blinks, there was no mistaking the sight in front of him. Lex was on the ground, and standing over him was a barely standing Scott, gun in his hands, holding it above Lex's head._

_"Don't, you're not a—"_

_Once again, Oliver's words were cut off by a gunshot, a bullet embedded in Lex's head, dead within milliseconds._

_His breathing harboured, Scott shook his head, remorse far from his eyes. "I hope you burn in hell, you sick son of a bitch." The family had taken enough from him, he wasn't going to let him add Evie to that list. He never thought that he would be grateful to see her fall unconscious._

_"Arrow!" It was AC's voice, moving to check on him. "Aquaman to Impulse, I need you here. Echo's unconscious, but Arrow's wounded. Boy Scout, get the doc to the tower."_

_Oliver thought about joking about how their cover was blown, but he decided against it. Everyone responded quickly, as Bart zoomed in and got him to Watchtower, but not fast enough before he heard AC's reply to someone else._

_"He'll make it Tower, he has to."_

_At Watchtower, they lay him down on the couch and Emil began working, but within seconds, Chloe pushed her way through the men. "I need to do this, don't try to stop me." Oliver's vision was pretty blurry at this point, but he could feel her hand cradling his face. "I love you."_

She was still out, by far the longest time, but Emil assured everyone that Chloe would wake up. There was no reason to believe him, but everyone did anyway because they needed that hope in a time like this.

But that was nothing compared to Evie's reaction, as not only did she expect to die twenty hours ago, she also couldn't have foreseen these consequence. "No..." she just barely managed, the words dragged out by her own disbelief, but Oliver nodded his head. "Where is he?"

"Downstairs."

Evie nodded as she looked around the room. "How is he?"

"Not good," was his reply, and unfortunately, the truth. Within seconds of seeing him entering Watchtower, Scott had done a one-eighty. Gone was the anger, only remorse and guilt remained. He washed his hands so many times, even though there wasn't any blood on them, staring at them as they shook uncontrollably. Everyone had taken their turns sitting next to him, but only Oliver was able to keep him calm, and even that was temporary.

Evie attempted to sit up, but the pain in her chest persisted. "You think you could help me out?" Oliver nodded, but Evie suddenly held a hand out. "There's a response on Chloe's heart monitor." She grimaced as she continued to get up despite the pain. "You should check in on her. Trust me; you're going to be the first person she wants to see."

Oliver disagreed, but Bart intervened, wrapping his arm around Evie to help her up. "I've got this."

After Bart took over, Oliver watched them walk down the stairs together before heading quickly to Chloe's room. It looked the same, only with the odd blip, the only sound that filled the air as Clark and Lois sat beside her.

Walking over to Lois, Oliver put a hand on her shoulder, not even able to imagine how she was feeling right now, as the hurt inside them was completely different.

Feeling the contact, Lois turned her head, knowing it was Oliver behind her. He felt guilt for what was going on, but she knew her cousin, and knew that Chloe would feel the same guilt if she just stood by.

For what felt like hours, even though it was just a couple minutes, the three of them stood there, waiting for Chloe to open her eyes. But the first sound they heard was the door creaking open. Everyone thought it was Emil coming back, but it ended up being Bart, walking slower than Oliver had ever seen him before he crashed down on the chair next to Clark.

"She… needed to talk to him alone."

"Evie's awake?" Lois' eyes widened as she looked at Bart, but when he didn't give her anything, she looked at Oliver, who confirmed it. Standing up, Lois walked over to Bart. "You must be relieved."

"A little, I guess," Bart said with a tiny smile, which disappeared in seconds as he looked up at Chloe. "Doesn't make what happened any better, the fact she..."

Lois looked confused at his response, so she looked up to Clark for help, but he just shrugged. Not everyone knew the circumstances of how Evie had passed out, so it was up to Oliver to speak up. "That's not your fault."

Bart was skeptical to say the least, so he scoffed as he stared down at his feet. "Why not?"

Unfortunately, looking down only brought the memory back, hearing Victor scream at the screen, seeing the momentary glimpse of Lex in front of her before he was gunned down. No matter what Oliver told him, it still stung Bart, but he didn't want to dwell on that now that she was awake. They would talk, but later, as Evie had her share of explaining to do already. Pointing to Chloe, Bart said, "I thought there was a response."

"There was," Emil interjected, entering the room. "But it was weak. It may be a couple minutes before she regains consciousness."

"Come on cuz," Lois begged, squeezing Chloe's other hand.

The response of the heart monitor was a good start, but her body was still healing, so it made sense that it took time before they saw any movement.

**~0~**

Time had been a concept lost on Scott as he lay down on the couch in the place they called Watchtower. Most of the day had seemed like a blur, from being saved by Evie's old roommate and a guy he met once on Halloween, to hearing the explosion behind him as he emerged from the building, carrying an unconscious Evie in his arms.

But one moment stood out, the only thing he could think of once Evie was taken from his arms for medical examination. Scott had walked down the steps slowly, one step at a time, staring at his hands, flipping them over, questioning his decision to pull that trigger... both times.

At the time, it felt right, picking up the gun that laid around the corner from where Evie, Lex and Oliver were to get retribution for his father and to save Evie from making a terrible mistake, but he had just killed someone. No matter the questionable character that Lex Luthor was, killing someone put Scott at his level, no matter the reason behind it.

The adrenaline inevitably wore off, the pain coursing through Scott's veins returning as a result, as he barely managed to get to the couch. Cracked and broken ribs apparently did that to a person. Emil had done his diagnosis and necessary work, from here, Scott just had to lie down and relax, but he was getting restless again.

Everyone had tried to talk with him: Dinah, Oliver, Bart, even Lois came down once to try to get him to see that it was okay, but he couldn't shake it. He killed a man. A terrible man, but what did that make him? And was it even worth it? Looking at his watch, Scott knew that he had seen the time once before, meaning that Evie, Chloe, they had been unconscious for plenty of time, too much time if you asked him.

It made no sense. How was it that he's the one alive and breathing, albeit with a fair amount of physical and mental pain, while Evie was the one who no one knew whether or not she'd wake up?

A hand came to his shoulder, and Scott didn't need to look up to know that it was Dinah. He looked up at her begrudgingly and smirked, trying to sell that he was okay. But that was when she tilted her head to her left, telling him to look that way.

He couldn't believe it. After so many hours, it surprised Scott to even see her awake, let alone walking around. He wanted to ask how long she had been awake, but instead, his mouth just gaped open as she took the final step. Evie tested a step in his direction, and despite the obvious pain in her expression, she turned to whispered something to Bart, and he, not seeing it, went back up the stairs.

Within a couple steps, Scott couldn't stand idly by anymore. Despite the pain he was feeling, he bolted up from the couch. "Jesus, Evie. What the hell do you think you're doing?" But the pain was too much, and Dinah sat him back down.

"I could ask you the same thing." It was so hard looking at him between the gashes above his eyes, the split lip, not to mention the numerous bruises that were likely beneath his clothing. "There's no reason you should be moving right now." She sat down beside him and Dinah took her leave.

"I was told what happened... the last thing I want you to do is blame yourself." Grabbing a hold of his arm, Evie squeezed her fingers against his skin, hoping it wouldn't cause him further pain, but instead grab his attention. "You saved Oliver... you saved so many people."

His stare still towards the other side of the room, Scott whispered, "He wouldn't have killed you." It had taken him awhile to realize the truth, and it shouldn't be one of the first things he asked her, but Scott couldn't help it. He had to know.

The words didn't surprise Evie, especially considering how much he knew about her now. Bowing her head, she replied, "Scott, I—"

"No!" Scott ripped his arm away from her and stood up quickly, biting his tongue to hide the pain as he took a few calculated paces from the couches. "Don't try to justify what you did because you _can't _justify that." Turning around, he sighed, trying to understand. "Why Evie? Why did you do it?"

Unfortunately for Scott, for Evie, his well-being took precedence over any explanation she had. "Scott, please, sit down. You don't want to make yourself more hurt than you already –"

He ignored her pleas and continued to press her. "How is _that _your great solution? How would that help _anything?_"

Evie dipped her head once more, knowing her answer wouldn't be good enough, but it was all she had. "I knew you were safe and that Oliver would get help. I knew Victor was in control of the cameras and I figured in case the 33.1 stuff didn't stick, he could go down for good old-fashioned murder."

"And you didn't see any flaws with that plan?"

There likely were several, but she had been used for so many hours that Evie was more than aware that she likely wasn't thinking clearly. The way Lex had forced her to use her power over and over, the plans he had, the destruction he had wanted if he succeeded in taking Oliver and the league, it was too much for her. She wasn't going to let Lex use her anymore, even if sacrificing her own life would be what it took.

"There was a flaw no matter where I looked," she replied honestly, knowing he wouldn't buy it, but she never expected him to fully understand the pain she had felt.

What she didn't know was that pain was apparent in the defeat in her body language, so Scott sat back down before he grabbed her hand. "Did you really have that little faith in the people who cared about you? I mean, you came to them for help and you just threw it all away. Did their trust mean nothing to you?"

That trust meant more to Evie than anything, the faith that even though she had lied to them all these years that they believed in her, they still wanted her in their lives. But that trust, that belief, always came with a cost. "I've seen enough people fall on my behalf... it's because I cared about them that I did what I did."

"Evie, it's not just your life you're messing with a decision like that." Releasing her hands, he looked away from her again. "These people care about you."

"I'm sorry," she replied, finally standing up, glancing upstairs at the open door to where Chloe likely was. "It's my fault, all this... Oliver waiting for Chloe to wake up, AC's injury, you being thrust into this... it's all my fault. I should have pulled that trigger years ago and none of this would have happened."

That wasn't what Scott wanted to hear, not even close, and he had enough of this from her, so he yanked Evie's arm down to the couch before turning her to face him. "You're a fool if you think you forced them to do anything. Trust me; they'd prefer to see you standing than buried six feet under. As for me, if what I went through is the price to pay to keep you safe, then I'm glad I paid it."

**~0~**

Initially, they didn't see anything, but Lois felt Clark's hand twitch in hers. Looking up her fiancé, their eyes quickly met, and Clark nodded. Sure enough, the heart monitor began to show increased activity and Chloe's eyes started to open. But before anyone could say anything, Lois blurted, "Back off Queen, family gets first dibs."

To be honest, Lois didn't even look to see if Oliver had reacted, she was just so relieved to wrap her arms around her cousin. Even better was the small contact of Chloe hugging her back. "Nice to see you Lois."

Opening her eyes, she gave everyone around her a quick smile, almost scared to ask how long they had been there. Sure, Chloe knew the extremes as to what she had done, but the relief on everyone's faces was easy to see.

However, there was one face Chloe was hoping to see. "Where's Evie?" Saving Oliver occurred before Chloe was able to get a status update on Evie. The last she heard, her friend was unconscious, not exactly the ideal prognosis. "Is she..."

"Yeah," Oliver said with a smile before pulling Chloe close to him allowing her head rested against his chest. Closing his eyes, Oliver felt a wave of emotion run over him. It was a combination of the hours pressed into the rescue mission, the mission itself, not to mention the aftermath, but he was glad to be back in Watchtower, with Chloe still by his side. Part of him didn't want to back away.

Chloe felt her eyes water up too, as she was glad that her ability was able to help in this case. Her and Oliver had come too far to lose each other now. But that didn't mean Chloe was any less worried for her friend. "Where is she?"

"Having quite the discussion with Scott downstairs," Dinah announced. "Do you want us to call them?"

"I got it," Bart replied, zipping out of the room, almost wanting to clear his head entirely. Not paying attention to what possibly could happen, he announced, "Chloe's awake," from upstairs. But he quickly froze as he saw his cousin resting her head against Scott's shoulder, and from the sounds of things, she was crying. "Sorry."

"No problem Bart," Scott replied, eyes still on Evie, "she'll be right up." He lifted his fingers to wipe the tear rolling down her face. "Look, this was a tough time for all of us, but it's over now Evie... it's all over."

Releasing the breath she was holding, she shook her head once more. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."

"Come on," he says, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Chloe's probably worried."

"Go ahead, I... need a minute."

"Doctor's orders stipulate that I have to rest, but you should go." Managing a grin, he added, "Evie, I forgive you. You're actually the one that shouldn't blame yourself for any of this, but if that helps, then so be it. I forgive you."

"Okay... I'll head up then." Wiping her eyes, she stood up slowly, looking over her shoulder once more, realizing that in all that, there was one thing she didn't say. "Thank you, not just for this but –"

"You too," Scott interjected, knowing it sounds strange, but having the truth about his father, about her, it meant more than he could ever express to her.

Evie nodded and started walking slowly, the pain subsiding long enough for her to reach the stairs. However, with each step taken, she felt her heartbeat increase, knowing that was just the first of many explanations she would give.

Standing at the doorway, Evie peaked in, watching Chloe smile at Oliver, her hand reaching up to play with his hair. "Have you guys been here the whole time?"

It was a question that was on Evie's mind too, but she didn't need Oliver to nod in order to know the truth. Speaking from experience, the first few hours were the worst. After that, they all blurred and there's no other place that they would rather be.

"We... didn't want to leave you."

Evie noticed the nods from all around the room and she felt herself choke up in consequence. Life hadn't been the smoothest for her, but it did provide her with the best set of friends. From the profiles she could see, everyone looked like they hadn't slept in days, all because they wanted to be there for her and Chloe. Evie couldn't have asked for more than that.

Stepping forward, Evie took a deep breath and broke her silence. "Thank you. Thank you so much." She saw everyone turn towards her, but after a quick grin, Evie moved quickly through the room, straight to Chloe to give her a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Me too." Chloe rested her chin on her friend's shoulder as she closed her eyes again. "You can't do that to me again."

"Not planning on it, I assure you." Evie smirked, looking over her shoulder at Oliver as she stood up again. "Sorry for going behind the team's back again, guess I'm not as much of a team player as I thought."

"We all have our moments."

"Yeah, but even if I hadn't burnt them, I'm hanging up my tights. Fieldwork has its perks, but isn't my thing." Evie pursed her lips as she looked around the room. "At least I decided to quit before someone got..."

Evie stopped talking upon realizing her sentence didn't seem true. "Where's Victor?"

She looked around frantically for his face, only to never find it. The blank looks on everyone's faces didn't help either and as the seconds increased, Evie felt her heartbeat rise.

Fortunately, Dinah finally spoke up, "He's running the tech side of things with Tess. Shutting down the 33.1 mainframe, getting the intelligence we need to save the subjects while ensuring our identities don't get on tomorrow's papers." She glanced down at her watch, ensuring her next comment was accurate. "He said he'd be back soon."

Evie sighed in relief, but what she didn't see was Bart giving Oliver a knowing look. What Dinah said was technically the truth, but there was a lot more to Victor's extraction from the facility and it wasn't pretty.

Chloe had been moved upstairs after healing Oliver and he was about to head up himself when he noticed Bart blur in with Victor. It wasn't a fatal shot, but his mechanical fluid was barely being held by a piece of cloth.

Insisting on having no one see him, he was transferred to Bart's and Evie's initial base of operations with Emil, who extracted the bullet from his body and restored the fluid and stitching Victor's body up. To keep the secret, Bart moved Emil back and forth between the two places, but after about six hours, it sounded like Victor was going to be okay. So they kept quiet, allowing for regular conversation to continue throughout the room, but eventually, Evie felt her body weaken again. No matter how much she had previously slept, it was clear that she still had a ways to go.

Leaving the room, she knew it wasn't far until she reached her room, but she felt herself stumble a few times. Eventually, Evie tripped over her own feet, but she felt a hand grab her arm, helping her maintain her balance.

"Easy there sister."

"Dinah, you don't have to –"

"The least I can do." Her body may not have taken the beating that Scott's has, but it was clearly far from one hundred percent. "You have to take it easy."

Wincing as Evie felt the accumulation of the pain in each step, she felt herself shake her head. "I forgot how much it hurt."

"Well," Dinah replied as she opened the door, "it won't likely be this bad again."

"It won't." While Evie accepted her abilities, she was done fighting with them and she was tired of them being over-used. Evie wouldn't forget about them by any means, but as they say, everything is better in moderation. "As much as I admire what you guys are doing, I'm going to find my own niche."

"Don't think about it too hard." Dinah couldn't imagine everything that Evie had gone through, but she did know that there was time for that later. "You need to heal up."

With a smirk, Dinah left the room as she saw Evie's head hit the pillow. As the door clicked, Dinah felt her smile widen, as the worst of everything seemed to be finally over. She turned her body, intent on rejoining everyone else when she heard footsteps on the stairs. "'Bout time you showed up."

Victor's head turned immediately, glad to hear the positive inflection in Dinah's voice. "What did I miss?"

"They woke up."

"Both?"

"Yeah." Dinah gestured her head towards the door she had just closed. "Evie was looking for you, you should probably check in."

"Thanks, I will," Victor replied with a nod, waiting for Dinah to take off before approaching the door. He opened it slowly, smirking as he noticed Evie sleeping inside. Stepping inside, he felt his chest tighten as he remembered everything that happened over the last day.

He really thought he lost her. All that time, all the struggle she put herself through, Victor really thought she was gone this time. But hearing that she was unconscious after Emil extracted the bullet from his midsection, he felt a pit build up inside him. Victor didn't want the final words she spoke to him to be an apology, doing what was necessary to save him, just like he did in 33.1.

That's why he should have been happy hearing her voice when he returned to Watchtower, but upon listening to her talk with Scott, Victor realized that Evie had a chance at something. Something he knew he could never give her, which meant that getting her voice out of his head would be harder than he thought.

_"I... I won't risk anyone else, especially you. Because I love you Vic." _

Resting his fingertips on her arm, Victor whispered, "You deserve better." With a sigh, he walked away.

* * *

><p><em><strong>June 2<strong>_

One difference between freedom and captivity was natural daylight and after enough days of the latter, Evie was grateful for the crack of it that reached her room. There was also nothing like being back in her own bed at her apartment. She didn't want to ask questions as to how she got here because honestly, Evie didn't care.

But she couldn't stay in bed all day, so she pulled back the sheets and tried to sit up. It was still hard, but a lot better than yesterday. However, before she could swivel her feet out of the covers, Evie heard a familiar voice.

"Oh no you don't."

Evie looked up to see Lois rushing towards her, trying not to spill whatever was in the mug she was carrying. "You are not leaving that bed unless you have to pee. Are we clear?"

"Lois, I can take care –"

"Save the tough girl speech." Lois was more than aware that Evie could take care of herself, but not too long ago, Lois had been in this position and taking Evie's advice turned out for her. It was Lois' time to return the favour. "I want to be here for you okay?"

"Fair enough, but you're going to have to keep me company if you don't want me to go crazy." Evie paused for a second, trying to figure out what they could do. "What did I miss in the wedding world? Maybe I could help with some last minute stuff."

Lois that she might say that, so after placing the coffee on the bedside table, she opened a drawer and pulled out the binders of the stuff Evie had missed. "You know what? You could."

Evie smiled as Lois moved to sit beside her on the bed, pointing out the decisions that had been made, the address where Evie could get her bridesmaid dress. But all this talk made Evie a little reflective, causing her to say, "Lois, I'm sorry."

Lois immediately stopped talking and turned towards her friend. She had expected an apology, but not the harsh sincerity on her face as she said it. "If roles were reversed, I'm pretty sure that anyone else in your shoes would do the same thing." Evie's expression hadn't brightened up, so she added, "It wasn't pretty, but we're still standing right? I take that as a victory."

Finally allowing herself to smile, Evie nodded, prompting Lois to continue pouring over wedding details.

* * *

><p><em>Sera's Scribbles: As you can see, the ending of this story may seem a little long, but there is a lot of things that I want to hammer out, including something that happened completely by accident. But more on that later. I admit, the ending is Evie-heavy, but I do promise some good Chlollie moments ahead.<em>


	20. June part 2

_**June 10**_

Her body mostly healed up, Evie went into the elevator at Watchtower, knowing one particular patient was still recovering. As all the body scans activated, Evie took a deep breath before it started to ascend. She had avoided elevators because they only reminded her of her encounter with Lex, and while Evie didn't mind taking the stairs at home, it was a little excessive for her recovery to get up to Watchtower. that way So Evie sucked it up and let herself get used to this kind of space again, knowing her experience was far from the norm.

Sure enough, Watchtower greeted her as usual when she opened the double doors, daylight streaming through the windows, lighting up the room. Turning her head, Evie noticed Emil packing up his things. Smiling at her, he said, "Good to see you walking around."

"It's good being able to walk normally again," Evie replied. For the past week, she could manage walking for a short period of time, but eventually the pain would be too much. And the sad part was that she had it easy. "How is he?"

Emil glanced upstairs, knowing the recovery hadn't been easy, but Scott put on a brave face, which made his job easier. "His face is cleaning up well, but his ribs are another story... at least a couple more weeks of recovery left."

Putting down her carrying case, Evie pulled out the containers of food she had prepared over the past couple of days. It wasn't much, but considering what she couldn't do, cooking was something she could. She was even able to teach Lois a couple recipes.

But like her friends, Evie discovered that sitting back wasn't a strength of hers. Even if she was walking away, not helping more through this aftermath was tougher than she thought. "Emil... thank you for everything."

Turning around in the doorway, Emil smiled at his old friend. "I'm glad to help out. However, I'm needed at Met Gen, do you mind?"

"No, I'll be here for a bit."

After the doors closed, Evie heated up the soup, figuring that simple was best at this time. Hearing the silence around her, it didn't take long for Evie to understand why Lois wanted her out of Watchtower for her recovery; everywhere she looked, there was a bittersweet memory. Not only that, but healing at home also allowed her to forget the extent of her actions, which were coming to the surface now. As she started taking the steps, bowl in hand, Evie remembered the state that Scott was in when she left, so as she neared his room, she felt herself swallowing hard. For even though he had forgiven her, it was hard for Evie to forgive herself.

Scott seemed to sense her pause, as before she entered the doorway, she heard him call out, "Please tell me that soup's for me." Evie laughed as she lost her hesitation, realizing the truth in Emil's words as she saw Scott sitting up in bed. She walked over to place the soup on the bedside table, but Scott didn't take long to pick it back up. "I've missed your cooking."

"I bet." Evie chuckled again, as she rubbed her hand on the back of her neck. "You were rather lousy in the kitchen."

It was as good as he remembered, but Scott placed the spoon down soon after his first taste. "But if memory serves, this was something you made when the weather or your mood was less than sunny." Based on the sunshine coming through the windows at Watchtower and the way Evie's expression fell, Scott could tell it was the latter. "You know that you can still talk to me right?"

"I know, but the problem is that..." Evie sat down and stared into empty space. "I guess the best way to say this is that I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

"This has been part of your life so long... hard to let go, I guess."

Evie shook her head. "You have no idea... or I guess you might." Looking back at him, Evie quickly remembered the whole reason everything had panned out and the price paid for it. Evie knew that Scott didn't regret it, but it wasn't the healthiest thing on anyone's conscious. "I'm sorry I haven't been here for you for that."

It would have been nice, as the burden was still there to an extent, but Scott had understood Lois' reasoning and he had been far from alone. "Oliver and Chloe have stopped by a few times and Emil's been a great help. Even Dinah said 'hi' before taking off." Thinking about the people in Evie's life and their role as heroes, Scott couldn't help but ask, "Just how small is the world we live in?"

"I know, right?" Evie smiled once more; glad to hear the humour in Scott's voice. This gave her hope that maybe they could revive their friendship after all, which was much more than she had anticipated.

**~0~**

Walking from the elevator, Oliver was surprised to see the Green Arrow room opened up as he closed the gate. "Chloe?" he called, wondering if she was in there.

Sure enough, within a few seconds, Chloe emerged from the room, closing it up while keeping her back to Oliver. As she turned around, she saw Oliver had moved right behind her, causing Chloe to peer up to his concerned eyes.

She knew that she had been quiet lately, but she had been thinking about her ability and just how much it taxed on her body. Before, Chloe had tested it, trying to control it, but now, she could hardly bring herself to do it. Even a papercut on her finger caused her to see Oliver in agony as she lifted her hand over the cut to heal it.

His hands reaching forward to grab hers, Oliver brought them between their bodies, maintaining his stare. He knew all too well what was bothering her and Chloe had been much too proud to admit it outright. But the fact that she had been housebound for the past three days was all the proof he needed.

Between Evie's and Scott's recovery and working with Victor and Tess on the 33.1 database, there wasn't time for what she did to sink in. Now things were under control, that was no longer the case. So Oliver took off work early, wanting to be there for her.

Chloe wanted to feel bad that he was leaving work for her, but at the same time, she felt her heart warm as she leaned forward to rest her head against his chest. There were too many circumstances where she was asked to be left alone and people listened to her, but not with Oliver. He knew when he needed to stay with her, even if she told him otherwise. That's why Chloe gave in, because she knew Oliver wouldn't leave without her talking about it. "You were right about the last resort thing. Seeing what it would take to make that difference, it was harder than I thought."

Oliver squeezed her tighter against him, which was reassuring, but she had to get this out. "But I have to test it, Ollie. I understand your point of view but..." Chloe backed away and looked at him, "this is a fact of my life now and I can't ignore it anymore."

It wasn't necessarily what Oliver wanted to hear, but he knew that Chloe had been doing a lot of thinking about this and she had listened to him last time, so it was his turn. "Okay."

"Okay?" Chloe repeated, as she hadn't expected Oliver to take this so easily, especially considering the last time they spoke about this.

Nodding, Oliver kissed her forehead as he pulled her tight to him once more. "If that's what you need to do, then I won't stop you... and I'm here for whatever you need."

* * *

><p><em><strong>June 11<strong>_

It had taken some time, but Lex's body was finally confirmed among the wreckage at the facility a few days ago. Even though ashes were all that remained, today was his funeral, and like the last one she went to, Evie stood a healthy distance back, watching almost in disbelief.

"What are you doing here?"

It didn't surprise her to hear his voice. Evie hadn't told anyone where she was going to be, but Victor was way too good at reading her. She wanted to say that this was about saying goodbye, about getting that closure, but Evie doubted that this alone would transition her to finding her way in life.

"This may sound wrong," Evie finally said, "but part of this is pride... showing how I'm still standing, that he didn't beat me. I also wanted to be sure he's really gone, because I really can't believe that it's all done."

"For what it's worth, I know this is going to sound weird... but I'm proud of you." Evie turned to him immediately with widened eyes, so he explained himself. "Despite what it looks like on the surface, you never gave up."

"I did though... I..."

Seeing how words failed her, Victor knew he had to correct her because what she was insinuating wasn't what he meant. "You never let Lex dictate the terms, because you could have given him everything he wanted. Even in chains, he was more of a prisoner to you than you ever were to him."

In her best moments, Evie wanted to see her situation like that. It was the one of the few reasons that she kept fighting. "I had to hold onto _some _sense of hope. If nothing else, I never wanted this to be used against me."

"You no longer have to worry about that." Victor looked down momentarily, slowly moving his hand to encase hers. He had surprised her, but she squeezed it lightly before Victor added, "You're free."

Evie took a couple breaths as she could see the people starting to disperse through the cemetery. "Yeah, I suppose you're right." Turning her head to the side, Evie grinned at the man next to her, as they silently enjoyed they victory together.

* * *

><p><em><strong>June 20<strong>_

Evie had always nervous about this meeting, allowing herself to show herself to someone she wasn't sure she could trust. But after Chloe told her that Tess was instrumental in getting Evie back, even if it was with Lex's 'permission,' Evie wanted to see her face-to-face. Knocking on the door, Evie heard Tess' voice call her inside, so she turned the door knob slowly, walked in quietly into the office, waiting for Tess' head to come up.

"Miss Mercer... my name is –"

"Evie, please come in" Tess smirked as she looked up at Evie, pulling back her chair almost right away. Even if she hadn't heard Evie's voice before, hers was a face wasn't one Tess was likely to forget. Walking around her desk, she held out her hand to the woman who changed her life. "And it's Tess, please."

It didn't take long for Evie to shake her hand, if nothing else to show her appreciation for Tess' work to save her. "I noticed your last name hasn't changed."

It hadn't, as Lex was too cocky to change his will, so after he officially passed away, all of his assets were legally Tess' and this time... they were actually hers. "I have no intention of being more associated with that man than I already was." That's why there were many changes ahead; as Tess knew that there was a lot of work to do, which is why Tess had really called this meeting for today. "I was hoping if we'd meet... that I could do something for you."

Evie shook her head. "Tess, what you're doing with Victor is more than enough." Saving people from tough situations, ensuring that people like her weren't used against their will, that was all the thanks she needed.

It shouldn't have surprised Tess that she knew about that, although she had hoped to tell Evie in person. But she continued nonetheless. "It will take some time, but I want to turn LuthorCorp around, let it stand for something more than what it is. And I was wondering if you would help me to do that."

"Me?"

Tess smirked upon seeing Evie's shocked reaction, but she was completely serious. "From what the papers report, you were Chloe's right-hand women while Oliver was gone. It wouldn't be much of a stretch for you."

That may have been true, but that was always a temporary position and Evie couldn't believe that Tess would take the time to learn about Evie's business experience. "I'm flattered you'd even think of me."

"You're one of the few people I trust to do the job." Tess had taken a look at Oliver's books during the years he was away and it appeared that her work with Chloe had definitely seen dividends, even if Evie doubted her value in a business setting. "After all, I was the enemy as far as you're concerned, but you still helped me."

Something Evie would never regret, as in a way, Tess was much a victim as Evie was. "You were in a bad situation and Lex made it worse. No one deserves to be played like you did." But seeing how serious Tess was made Evie realize that maybe there was a completely different professional path waiting for her. "As to your offer, can I think about it?"

Tess nodded. "Take all the time you need. This does not have an expiration date."

* * *

><p><em><strong>June 28<strong>_

With a little effort, Watchtower was a completely different place. The decorations around the room, the food filling up the tables and the people throughout the room... all for his birthday. Scott was a lot better, but moving was still a tough matter, so going out wasn't likely, but he was at least able to leave his room, albeit with a little help from Bart.

Everyone had come by and given him something small, as it had been a long time since these people had been in his life, but Scott was just grateful for the lightened atmosphere. The last to arrive was Lois, who had been working late, but she came over right away and dropped a box of doughnuts on the table in front of him.

"You're standing," she said before opening the box and grabbing herself a maple doughnut. "What? It's not like I can compete with Evie's cooking."

Scott hadn't been standing for long, in fact, he couldn't without leaning against the table, but he wanted to test out his body a little bit before sitting back down. "Evie... did all this?" It shouldn't surprise him, but there was a lot of food, especially considering Bart's appetite.

Lois nodded, as she had helped where she could, but Evie had been a machine in her kitchen for the past few days. "She wanted to ensure your birthday wasn't marred by your injuries. It doesn't help that she carries the guilt with her."

Looking over to Evie, who was going from person to person with full glasses of punch, Scott couldn't help but grin at her effort into tonight. "I wish there was something I could do."

"We all do, but time's the best thing for her." Lois started to walk away, but instead, she turned towards Scott once more. "Are you planning on staying for the next couple of weeks?"

Scott nodded, as he wasn't planning on it, but his recovery would likely still take a little more time, not to mention his lack of employment, so there was no rush to head back. "I don't see why not."

"Clark and I are getting married; we'd like you to come."

There were plenty of developments that Scott had heard about over the past couple weeks, and that particular one was especially interesting because Scott never imagined that her and Clark would last. "I love to come. I have to admit though... I always thought you two would kill each other first, but... love finds us in the most unexpected way, doesn't it?"

"I guess it does." Punching him lightly in the arm as she walked by, Lois added, "Happy Birthday."

**~0~**

Looking around, Evie was pretty sure that she had covered everything. She had been ensuring that there was enough food, that glasses were full and that everyone was happy, but after awhile, everyone was telling her to relax. So she took a deep breath and headed towards the punch bowl, where Victor happened to be standing.

As she filled up her glass, she looked up at him and smiled. "Hey, how are you doing?"

"Not bad," was his quick response and after that he walked away, causing Evie to sigh in frustration.

Everything was starting to fall into a sense of normal, except ever since she came back, it was like pulling teeth to get Victor to talk to her with the exception of Lex's funeral. She hadn't even had a chance to really apologize for what happened that fateful night in Watchtower.

Staring at her cup, it didn't take long for Evie to become disinterested by the contents. So she placed it down and leaned against the table, decided it was best to stay back for a minute, as everyone else seemed to be in higher spirits. After all, this party wasn't just a showcase for Scott's birthday; it was a full-blown apology to everyone in the room, which everyone seemed to sense. But Victor insisted on being difficult, which hurt her more than Evie wanted to admit.

"Hey," she heard Bart say, so she turned to face her cousin.

He had seen everything, the exchange between her and Victor, and the frustration Evie had been exuding since. "Vic's been a little off today, but I'm sure he'll be fine tomorrow."

Evie appreciated the effort, but even Bart knew that was a lie. "I don't things are ever going to be the same between us. I did something to him... and I'm not sure if he's ever going to forgive me."

"Why don't you just tell him how you feel?" Bart knew Evie was going to be surprised by his question, but it was all he could ask. He knew nothing about what happened between the two, but he knew neither party would divulge that secret. All Bart knew was that the looks between Evie and Victor weren't subtle anymore; the only problem was that now they weren't simultaneous and he was hoping that he could at least get them back to talking terms.

"I already have, Bart. I told him I... it doesn't matter anymore. He doesn't feel the same." Evie knew what she was admitting to her cousin, but if Bart already knew everything, she figured it wouldn't hurt. Furthermore, it felt good to tell _someone_, as Evie wasn't sure how much she could share with Chloe or anyone else right now.

But that admission had revealed more to Bart than Evie had ever realized. He had been the first person to figure it out, but that was because he was close to both parties since their moving to Metropolis. Initially, Bart didn't like it, but he also knew everything they had done to each other, and the effect that both had in revitalizing Bart's own life. If they made each other happy, then so be it, as that was the only thing that really mattered. However, they had been distant for the past little while and staring at his cousin again, he recognized the guilt that flickered in her gaze. Evie thought she knew the cause, but the truth was that she had no idea. But Bart wasn't the person to tell her that, that person was leaving Watchtower without even saying goodbye.

* * *

><p><em><strong>June 29<strong>_

There was nothing like fresh air to clear Victor's mind. The whole time at the party, he felt didn't feel like himself. So he stayed long enough to make the rounds before leaving, because he couldn't stay, even if he knew that his reason why was petty.

It was clear from the first moment he saw Scott that he wasn't over his ex, and Victor couldn't blame him. Evie... she was special. And he could give her everything she wanted. A normal guy, a normal life, and better yet, he accepted everything about her. How was Victor supposed to compete with that?

Opening the door to the apartment, Victor laid his keys on the table, turned on the light in the kitchen to get a glass of water, gulping down the liquid as fast as it came into the glass before slamming it on the counter. Staring down at the glass, Victor knew this wasn't a good sign.

"If your mission was to hurt her, then congrats," Bart said sarcastically. Turning around, Victor noticed his roommate standing there, his carefree expression long gone, and instead a mix of frustration and anger. "She just told me how much you mean to her, so whatever she did to you... can you forgive her and move on?"

At some point, Victor had expected Bart's protective streak to kick in, but not with that particular approach. It seemed like Evie felt bad enough if she was telling Bart that much. But then Victor thought about it, about how he had been behaving since her return. It had been hard, but instead of salvaging what they had, Victor was acting like he was pulling away entirely, which wasn't fair to the girl who pretty much gave him reasons to keep living.

"You're right," Victor finally said. He would apologize and make things better; she deserved that much from him.


	21. July part 1

**July**

_**July 1**_

Carrying her groceries in her hands, Evie turned the corner towards her apartment door, but she felt herself pause when she saw Victor leaving. It had been two days since she had seen him, so Evie was wondering why he was here.

Looking up after he locked the door behind him, Victor smirked at her. "Hey, I was just dropping something off."

She tried to match his expression, but she couldn't, settling on pursing her lips at his comment. Dipping her head, Evie muttered, "Right." She wasn't an idiot, as Victor had been rushing off the moment he saw her, so there was no reason to think this time was any different.

Only it was, leading to Victor grabbing her arm when she was next to him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The contact had caught her off-guard, causing one of her bags to fall to the ground. She wanted to pick it up, but Victor wasn't letting her go, his eyes serious as she glanced at him. So Evie answered his question with her own. "Were you ever going to tell me that you were shot?" One look at his face and Evie had her answer, and his grip loosened on her.

"Bart told you, didn't he?" Victor asked, closing his eyes, not ever wanting her to know about this, to worry about this. But once he opened them again, Evie was standing again, and Victor knew that was the wrong thing to say.

"So what if he did? It was clear that you were never going to." Even worse that even after Evie had called him on his omission; Victor didn't even try to explain himself. Walking past him, she wanted to slam her fist against the door as she stood in front of it. The only reason she didn't was because she finally heard his voice again.

"It didn't matter."

Shaking her head, Evie bit her tongue to keep herself from letting out a dry chuckle. "That's where you're wrong." Her head falling to lean against the door, she turned it enough to look at him, standing close to her, but his back still turned. "You're being a hypocrite and you know it." She heard his footsteps, so Evie brought her head up once more, surprised to see that Victor had turned around, not walked away. "You used to trust me and while I know that I'm mostly to blame for that, this... sucks."

And as much as she wanted to be the one who walked away this time, Evie pulled herself together and faced him. This may be her chance to have Victor hear her out and she wasn't going to squander that. "I'm sorry," Evie started, hoping an apology was going to be enough, "I crossed the line, using my ability on you and I've regretted it every minute since." Everything else was secondary was at this point, because she valued Victor too much in her life. Acting that way around him just a few minutes ago hurt too much. So if one particular admission would have to fade into the background, Evie could live with that. "Can you find a way to forgive me?"

Victor was speechless. He had come to apologize for his complete pettiness and cowardice, yet here she was, wanting forgiveness for something that he learned to understand. "You're right, I should have told you, but I thought you had more important things to worry about."

Placing his palm carefully over his shirt, knowing the scar that remained underneath, Victor quickly re-lived the moments in his head. There was a short period that he thought that he would be Evie's last sacrifice, but in a way, preventing that was why he fought. "It wasn't pretty, but Emil did a great job fixing me up."

After that, among other things, Victor lost himself in the cause, believing that his place in her life was to help her behind the scenes like before. Seeing her now, it was clear that Bart was right. Things weren't perfect between them now, but it was far from the fragmented state that he made her feel. "To answer your question, I understand why you did what you did, so there is nothing to forgive."

Taking a deep breath, Evie knew that Victor was telling her the truth, which was a huge relief. "Okay."

He could see Evie relaxing, so Victor risked a smile, hoping that this was the start of him mending what he had done. "I actually do have to leave, but...Evie, I'm really sorry too."

"Okay," she repeated, taking the apology... and the smile as a small victory and let him go. Turning towards her door once more, she unlocked it, intent on putting her groceries away, but once again, she stopped upon seeing what was in front of her. The least Victor could have done was tell her what he was dropping off, but as she abandoned her bags at the doorway to approach her kitchen table, Evie felt a genuine smile form.

Touching her fingertips to the lily petals, her eyes took notice of the card in front of them. Actually, it was just a piece of paper folded in quarters, her name written in his handwriting on the front, but Evie didn't care about semantics. She didn't have to open it to realize that the Victor she remembered was back.

_Evie,_

_It's a few months late, but happy birthday. However, I can officially say that half of the 33.1 facilities have been emptied. Every person will begin to their lives freely and we will continue to support them where we can. We won't stop until every last one is shut down, but all this would have been impossible without you... so know that as scared as you are to taking that step towards a new life, that you've saved more lives than I ever could express._

_I know you're struggling with everything, but I want you to know that I'm here for you when you figure things out. I know I've been difficult lately, so I'm hoping that this will do something to appease my behaviour._

_Victor_

It was a start, and Evie could live with that. The progress on shutting down 33.1 was a huge accomplishment, but she wasn't sure that she played that big of a part, which reminded her of the offer Tess had given her. Evie had to admit, it was tempting, but she couldn't help but think that there was something else out there waiting for her to explore.

Sure, her career options had varied, but now was different. Now, she could be anything and Evie wanted to ensure she made the right call. At least now she knew that she had the rock in her life again when she was ready for that endeavour.

Putting the card down, she took one last look at the flowers before turning back to put away her groceries. One bag at a time, she put away everything, not even realizing that she left her door wide open. Rolling her eyes, Evie went to close it, but she didn't get there before someone else entered the apartment.

She was going to make a quip about her being popular today until she noticed just who was at her door. Her mouth gaped open as she took in his appearance and Evie felt her face light up as she found her words. "You're... walking." Not only that, but he also looked like himself, as the bruises had finally faded.

"That I am," Scott replied as he entered the apartment fully, finding Evie's smile infectious as he couldn't help but grin back. "You look great."

Evie blushed slightly, her head dipping slightly as Chloe joined them, slipping her phone into her purse. "Hey! Emil cleared him for non-strenuous activity and I figured we all could get a coffee to celebrate. You in?"

Nodding, Evie picked up her purse. "Lead the way."

"Sorry," Scott said quickly before Evie reached the door, "do you mind if I use your bathroom?"

"Straight down that way."

Scott grinned, turning to head in the direction Evie was pointing, but when he noticed that they weren't heading out, he stopped. "No reason for you two to wait for me... I'll lock up." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the key Chloe lent him when Oliver called her in the elevator.

Fortunately, they listened to him, closing the door behind him. Now alone, Scott walked over to the table, picking up the card, having a pretty good idea who wrote it.

**~0~**

While the girls were getting refills on their respective coffees, Oliver sat across the table from Scott, noticing his defeated body language that he was trying to hide. "How're the ribs?"

"Sore, but Emil said I should be good to go back in a couple days." Chuckling lightly, he looked up at Oliver. "Don't suppose I could borrow that jet of yours and save on airfare?" It was a stretch at best, Scott knew that, but he figured at this point, it may be best for him to leave sooner than later.

"You're leaving already?" Oliver's eyes narrowed as he moved forward in his chair, lowering his voice as he added, "I thought I heard Lois say you were welcome to come to the wedding."

"I appreciate the invite, but I don't think it's the best idea if I stick around here." Scott scoffed at the implication as he drubbed his fingers on the table. "I think I make her feel more guilty than she already does."

Peering towards where the girls were standing, Scott caught Evie's eye as she turned around in line. She smiled at him, just like she used to, and again, he couldn't hold his smile back. He'd be lying if he said that he didn't miss her, and the fact that he would be leaving alone didn't sit well with him. But he also knew her, knew her well enough to know it this time was different.

Turning his gaze back to Oliver, who was eyeing Scott curiously after the exchange between the two, causing Scott to shrug casually. "I thought we could turn back the clock, but there's someone.." Stopping suddenly, remembering that this was some sort of crazy secret, Scott went in a different direction. "I mean, there's the issue of me lacking a tux. These are pretty much the only clothes I have."

Oliver immediately noticed the pause and mentally filled in the blanks. It didn't surprise him that Scott managed to figure that out, and Oliver understood why he wanted to leave, but he still replied, "I think I can introduce you to a tailor." Things were strained, but they needed that closure before Evie moved on, if she ever let herself that is.

Seeing Evie and Chloe approaching their table again, Oliver looked up at his girlfriend. "Hey," he said, wrapping his arm around Chloe's shoulder once she sat down next to him. "I figured that Scott might be sick of staying in Watchtower, so I told him that he could use the guest bedroom while he's here, is that okay with you?"

Chloe nodded as she sipped her coffee. "Works for me." After putting her cup down, Chloe took a quick look at the people with her right now. With the four of them, it almost felt like old times at SCU, when life was easier, simpler. It was a welcome change of pace considering the last few months.

However, when the silence wore on, Evie looked back-and-forth between the two, surprised at how nonchalant they were about this. "Seriously?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Her mouth gaped momentarily, as Evie chose her words carefully. "I was just… there's no reason for him to be constant interruptus for you two." Turning to look at Scott, she shrugged slightly. "You could stay with me if you wanted." After all, it wasn't like they hadn't done it before and she knew that they still needed to talk before Scott left again.

Scott subtly looked at Oliver before giving Evie a questioning look. "Really?" Glancing at the blonde couple across the table, he couldn't resist asking, "Is it that bad?"

Staring at her cup, Evie blurted before Chloe could interject, "Our sex life was the equivalent of _Sesame Street _next to these two."

Scott's eyes practically bulged out of his head upon hearing that statement, as Evie wasn't exactly the one to share that kind of information, but his reaction was covered by Chloe leaning across the table to slap Evie's arm. "Hey!"

Evie's hands immediately went up in defence. "You compare notes with Lois, and she tells me _everything, _this is the closest I'm getting to payback."

That comment got Oliver's attention as he leaned forward. "You compare notes?"

Refusing to meet his stare, Chloe casually glanced away as she found the easiest excuse possible. "It's a girl thing."

Evie wasn't letting her play it that subtle as she looked back up again, folding her arms on the table and looking straight at Oliver. "Chloe talk for you having nothing to worry about."

Oliver opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it again as he looked over at Chloe whose cheeks resembled cherries. Evie knew she would likely pay for this, but she didn't care. Hours upon hours of Lois chatting up Evie about things that weren't her business had gotten to her, and while it wasn't likely the best timing, it was one of those mornings that Evie's subtlety went out the window.

Instead, it was Scott that spoke, "And on that note, how about we take that coffee to go?" Before she had a chance to react, she felt Scott grab her hand, quickly taking her out of the cafe.

Watching the brunettes leave, Chloe wanted to say something along the lines that Evie wouldn't get away with what she did that easily, but when she saw the two laughing outside, her expression softened.

"Well, that's progress." She heard Oliver clear his throat next to her, so she turned and watched him raise an eyebrow. "Like Evie said, you have _nothing_ to worry about."

"That's all I need to know." However, his smile fell fast as he realized that he couldn't avoid this anymore. "But there's something I need to tell you."

* * *

><p><em><strong>July 8<strong>_

Entering his office, Oliver was surprised to see someone already inside. "What brings you by?"

Evie turned around, briefcase in hand. "Business call actually." As Oliver walked around her, she took a deep breath, excited for what she was going to tell Oliver today. "Tess offered me a job to help revive and rehab LuthorCorp."

"Really?" Oliver asked as he sat down, gesturing her to follow suit. While he believed in his ex's turnaround as a person as well as her faith in Evie's character, he didn't think that she'd offer Evie the job so fast.

"Since... everything, I've been thinking about what I'm going to do with my life." Evie sat down in the chair across from Oliver and pulled her briefcase onto her lap. "I've had a lot of dreams in my life, but in the end, helping people, that's where I'm meant to be."

Evie opened her briefcase, pulling out the various file folders of profiles that Tess had provided her with in regards to 33.1 inmates. "As you know, Tess and Victor are in progress of shutting down 33.1 around the world." It may have seemed intrusive to look into their lives, but her intentions were good, and Evie had every intention of destroying the files soon. All it was now was a frame of reference, a way for her to know what to expect by her newest venture. "I may be taking a page out of my cousin's book, but I turned her down... sort of. I'm looking to start a non-profit, a place where survivors can come to, where they can be heard."

The next file folder was the primary business projections, the part she wanted Oliver to look over. "I know I'm not the best business mind, but I poured over company numbers with Chloe for about two years so I'm not exactly green either." Although Evie never saw herself as a difference maker, the fact that Tess thought she was had to count for something. "Tess has agreed to help me out, but I was hoping you'd come onboard too."

Oliver sat forward in his chair, looking at the various resources in front of him. When her eyes met his, Oliver asked honestly, "What do you need me for?"

Evie shrugged a shoulder. "Advice? Maybe some start-up capital?" She hoped that she would never need the latter, as she had saved most of what Oliver had given her for a rainy day. Even though it turned out that she really needed it for when the storm was over, Evie wanted to know that Oliver had her back in case of any emergency.

"Who would I make the cheque out to?"

With a smile, Evie reached into a folder and pulled out the preliminary notes on the non-profit that she had secretly compiled over the past month. "If I start it, H.O.M.E." Seeing Oliver's reaction, Evie smile tugged further. "Help and Opportunities for Metas Everywhere. That, and more than anything... that's what people like me want."

"Where are you going to set up... hypothetically?" When he heard a quiet sigh on Evie's end, Oliver looked up. "I appreciate you consider the league your second family, but you have a real family. A family that probably wants nothing more than to see you."

Evie had opened her mouth to give a retort, but Oliver quickly added, "I know you've had your fill of this conversation, but hear me out."

She wanted to say no, that she had enough, but Oliver was different; he had no family to fall back on. The team was his family, and that was fine with him, but Evie knew that if Oliver had the opportunity, he wouldn't hesitate to see his parents again. So she nodded, allowing Oliver to continue.

Grateful for her permission to proceed, Oliver pulled back his chair, allowing for the business side of things to settle and the air of familiarity to arise again. "Victor told me about who you were in 33.1, and I've seen you grow." He remembered the first time he had seen Evie, well, technically the third time according to Evie's calculations, but there was still a shyness to her character, despite the strength she held for others. Over the years, she had gone over a huge transformation, and Oliver knew it shouldn't be one that Evie would be ashamed of.

But he still knew the gravity of what she had to do, the band-aid she would have to rip off in order for any normalcy to set in again. "I know it won't be easy, but they will accept you and love you."

He saw a small hint of affirmation in her eyes, and Oliver knew not to press further than that, so he took the diplomatic ending. "In the end, it is your decision, and I won't tell you that you have to do anything, but rather ask that you giving going back an outside chance."

Seeing her nod, Oliver's focus went back to her non-profit, but not before he revealed something of his own future. "But if it helps you make your decision, I don't think I'll be sticking around for long."

Evie had been attentively listening, so that comment she hadn't been expecting. "What?"

"I have to head back to company HQ in California. There have been some complications that I don't think business trips are going to cover. Not to mention that I think Metropolis is a little small for more than one hero, and I can't exactly compete with Clark."

"What about Chloe?"

Oliver sighed before looking up at Evie. "I'm... telling her tonight." This wasn't a decision that he wanted her to take lightly, and it was something that he wanted Chloe to hear from him, no matter how nervous it made him wondering about her answer.

Smiling, Evie said easily, "She'd be a fool to say no." At this point, with everything they had been through, she doubted that Chloe would hesitate to have a fresh start herself now that Evie's personal mess was over.

Matching her smile, Oliver was glad to hear that from his friend. "I hope you're right."

**~0~**

"New dress?"

Chloe looked up in the mirror, seeing Oliver standing behind her. Smiling, she turned around. "Lois-mandated dress." An inch shorter than she would like and the neck line was also incredibly debatable, but it was about Lois tonight, so she sucked it up. "Does it look okay?"

Initially, Oliver was wondering if that was a rhetorical question, as it hugged her curves perfectly. Wrapping his arms around her back, he leaned his head down to hers. "I'm not sure I like you going out in it without me... but I am looking forward to taking it off."

Chloe's breathing slowed as she felt his breath on her cheek, his words echoing in her ears. No matter how long they had been together, he was way too good at having an effect on her.

However, with that time, she had gotten better at containing her reaction. "Is that so?" she teased, seeing Oliver's grin widen in response, leading to Chloe biting her lip as she moved his arms off of her. "Well, as much as I'm looking forward to that... it's going to have to wait. I'm pretty sure that I won't get to the elevator once we start."

She tried to walk away, but before she got too far, Oliver pulled her back. Chloe figured that Oliver was willing to test that theory, but instead, he was just looking at her. Eventually, he grinned before saying, "_That _particular concept is appealing, but actually there was something I was hoping to talk to you about."

"What's up?" Chloe waited for a response, but instead, she noticed Oliver lift his hand to play with her hair, causing her to narrow her eyes. "Ollie..."

"It's not bad," Oliver replied, slightly pursing his lips. "Or at least, I don't think it is."

After a light chuckle, Chloe maintained her gaze. "It always blows my mind that I make you nervous."

That she did, even if Chloe's self-confidence wasn't what it should be. But her words were enough to get Oliver to stop delaying this conversation. "I know this is your home, but I was hoping that maybe... you were open to making Star City your new home."

Chloe shook her head, as her answer was easy. "Yes."

"Chloe, this is a big deal."

"I know it is, but I know what I want." Glancing out the window, Chloe stepped away from Oliver, recapping her last year in her head. It was tumultuous to say the least, but Chloe had still accomplished plenty. "I had my round at the _Daily Planet_, and while I established a lot of my past here, besides my childhood home, there's nothing holding me here. We can run operations in Star City and Lois can visit whenever she wants." Turning around, she shrugged. "Am I missing anything?"

Oliver laughed as he began to walk towards her, knowing that he had no more reason to question to her decision. "I love you."

Chloe smiled. "Ah, yes... and I love you." Tilting her head up, she was ready for Oliver to bring her close and kiss her. As his hands smoothed around her body, she felt the kiss deepen, and a quiet noise escape her as Oliver squeezed her tighter against him.

But soon enough, she felt him backing away. Surprised, she looked at him, smile in place. "Go... or else that dress _is _coming off."

Nodding, Chloe leaned up to kiss him one last time before walking around Oliver to pick up her purse. In the doorway, she turned around and smiled at him once more before heading towards the elevator.

**~0~**

Victor was intent on buying the next round, using the excuse to have some alone time, but of course, Scott being the new guy, offered to help carry. Not wanting to be rude, Victor let him accompany him to the bar, knowing it was likely going to be at least a little awkward.

After voicing his order, Victor turned to lean his back against the bar, refusing to meet the other man's eye as he said, "I'd be meaning to say thanks... guess now is as good of a time as any."

"For what exactly?"

Swallowing hard, Victor barely managed to admit, "I'm... glad you're giving Evie another chance. She deserves someone who accepts her for everything she is."

Scott's head jerked back, surprised at the words that Victor had said. Sure, everyone had seemed convinced that Evie and him were destined to get back together, and if Scott had his way, they would be already... but she wasn't on the same page as everyone else.

Once their beers were placed in front of them, Scott pulled out his wallet to lay some money for the bartender, not caring about the glare the other man was giving him. After everything he put this group through, a round of beers would be the least he could do. The bartender didn't seem to care, and took Scott's money before heading back to the next customer.

Turning his head, Scott noticed Victor had grabbed his half and was beginning to head over to the table. Cutting off his path, Scott realized that there was something he had to do and it couldn't wait any longer. "Do you mind if I offer you some advice?"

"On what?"

"When she finally lets you in, don't... don't let her go like I did." It wasn't subtle, but Scott wanted it to stick, to make Victor realize that he wasn't a fool. Scott had been here, trying to put up his best case, against a really good guy at that... but it was clear now; he was always going to be the odd guy out.

Victor, with a well-intact poker face, laughed at his insinuation before walking around Scott. "I think you've misunderstood the situation. We're not..."

"Yet," Scott interjected, watching Victor stop in his place. "She takes her time, and it's frustrating, but she's worth waiting for."

"We're friends, always have been."

It's what everyone told him, including Dinah as she told Scott about everything that Evie and Victor had gone through. It was quite the story, something that Scott could barely believe, even after what he experienced. Bowing his head, Scott smirked as he walked towards the table, but not before one last comment. "That description you just used... it fits you better."

**~0~**

While Lois and Dinah were living up the bachelorette party experience, Chloe and Evie sat at a table far enough from the dance floor, sipping their drinks. "I'm wondering if we should start worrying about her now," Chloe yelled over the loud music booming throughout the club.

After a sip of her drink, Evie shook her head as they both knew Lois was more than capable of handling herself, even when she was drunk. "Hey, be grateful that Dinah's here or that could be us."

_Fair point_, Chloe thought as she looked over to her friend. "Hey, I, um, I'm going back with Oliver to Star City."

Evie nodded, adding a chuckle at the odd change in conversation, but she was glad to hear that conversation went well. "He told me... that he was going, but the chances you weren't going were slim to none. When you allowed yourself, you were happy there."

"What about you? What do you want?" Seeing her friend's reaction, Chloe knew this was probably dangerous conversation territory, but Chloe added, "It doesn't take a genius to see that you're stalling things."

"Seriously?" Rolling her eyes, Evie felt her gaze wander across the room. "I get a lecture from Oliver and now from you?"

"Hey, I got lectures too. You and I have been about give and take from day one." Oliver had told Chloe about the non-profit, which sounded like a great idea, but this wasn't the first time Evie had tried to start over. "Look, I'm glad that your professional life is taking shape, but you've quit on dreams before and you've given up on relationships before they've started. I can't begin to imagine what you're going through... but I want you to promise me that you won't let life pass you by."

"I can't promise that." Evie bit her tongue hard, wanting to explain everything, but Evie wasn't even sure that she could. "I think the situation's a little more complicated than that."

Reaching over to cover Evie's shoulder with her hand, Chloe's expression grew more serious. "Then can you at least talk to me again? Because I know you, and you look just as troubled now than you did last year."

"I want to Chloe but... " But the truth was that Chloe was right, however, this wasn't the time or place for this conversation. Poking her straw at the ice in her drink, Evie broke her silence. "It took Oliver and you a year after he got back to figure out a relationship." Peering up, she asked Chloe, "This is my entire life Chloe, something I didn't even know that I'd get again. Can't I get more than a month to figure that out?"

"I don't think you want to live up to our example." Chloe scoffed as she thought back at everything that had happened. There's a part of her that didn't regret a second, but that didn't mean some of Chloe wished they handled things better. "It eventually worked out, I know, but people get hurt in the process."

Choking on her drink, Evie coughed hard as those words sunk in, right before the liquid slowly found its way down her throat. Without thinking, she pushed the chair back, mumbled that she was going to the bathroom, but she had to get out of the club now. It felt like a million voices were in her head and the pounding music was doing nothing to help her headache.

But Chloe wasn't buying that for a second and once Evie had grabbed her coat, Chloe was standing behind her when she turned around. Noticing how her friend opened her mouth to explain, Chloe interjected.

"You need space... I know." They had plenty of conversations like this, but Evie had never reacted like this before. Maybe Oliver was right, and she should have avoided this topic, but Chloe also knew that without a push... she wouldn't do anything. However, Chloe didn't want to screw up their friendship in doing so. "I just wanted to check that we are still on for coffee tomorrow."

Evie nodded. "Yeah."

**~0~**

Opening the door was a momentary relief for Evie, as she was glad Chloe let her go. Granted, her friend had a valid point, and Evie had tossed her similar questions in the past, but now, it was just infuriating having these conflicting emotions in her head. With every step, that confidence she felt with Oliver earlier was slipping away.

She actually thought life would be easier, but actually have a future ahead made things more difficult. Evie could do whatever she wanted, or so she thought, but what was that? H.O.M.E. was a good start, but there was more to life than a possible career choice.

For one, there was her romantic _drama_, something Evie never thought would happen to her. She hated it, but Evie had to admit, she was a bit at a loss right now. Years she had either sympathized or chastised women in her situation, yet here she was, in what was a very undesirable situation for her, but she had no choice. No matter how she looked at it, someone was going to get hurt.

She opened the door to their apartment building after a very uneventful walk and was content on just getting over herself and figuring out all this stupid harlequin stuff in the morning. The elevator came quickly, so Evie got in happily and pressed the button for her floor when she heard a familiar voice call out, "Hold the door."

Evie rolled her eyes as she heard his voice, grateful her face was covered by the elevator. This was the last thing she needed, but right now, there was no way she could avoid it. Reaching out, she stopped the door, waiting as Scott walked into the elevator, eyes widening as he recognized her. "You're done early."

"If we went any further, Lois would have passed out," Evie lied, not really wanting to spill the real reason for her bailing on the bachelorette party.

Standing beside her, Scott laughed as he reached to close the elevator doors. "Well, the groom can't get drunk and he's a bit of a kill-joy when it comes to these things."

Course that wasn't the whole reason Scott had left. He could handle the family dynamic that the guys had for a couple of hours, but he was clearly the odd one out, so Scott figured a couple extra hours of shut-eye wouldn't hurt. Seeing Evie in the elevator wasn't what he expected when he came back, especially considering he had just given up on trying to get her back, so feeling the obvious awkward tension between the two of them wasn't exactly easy now.

"So no strippers, drugs, and alcohol?" Evie quipped, trying to figure out small talk. Peering in his direction, seeing the expression he was giving her, Evie chuckled for a second. "I'm kidding."

Scott grinned back as he leaned his head against the elevator, waiting as the number starting to increase. "Pretty low-key – we just watched the ball game at the bar. Weird thing is... you could totally school those guys."

That comment got Evie to smile a little. "Is there any doubt in that category?"

"Clark was a phenom before his fake knee injury," Scott pointed out, elbowing her in the side as he teased her.

Evie glared in his direction, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah... but c'mon. That was football, remember?"

Scott played innocently for his little game, shrugging as he looked away from her. "You've been out of the circuit for awhile. How do I know that you haven't lost your touch?"

That was the final straw as far as Evie was concerned, letting out a sarcastic chuckle before smacking his arm with her handbag. However, as she leaned towards him, the elevator shook, causing her to lose her balance.

Scott caught her with ease, but Evie's breath hitched as she re-found her footing, staring into his eyes with their faces inches from each other. Words were threatening to come out, as even a simple thanks would have sufficed, but no matter how much her lips trembled, no words came out.

Eventually, it was Scott that spoke as the elevator doors opened. "Saved by the bell." He walked away, hearing Evie catch her breath and waited for a comeback. When it didn't come, he started to head to the apartment, try to etch the image of what happened out of his head.

"That's it?"

Searching in his pockets as he stood in front of the door, Scott blurted, "No." He didn't like the words he was about to say, but he couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't pretend that he didn't know that things hadn't changed for her. Staying here only made things more complicated for her, and Evie deserved better than that. "I'm also packing my things in the morning."

Evie's head jerked back, as she hadn't been expecting that. Sure, she hadn't made things easy between them, but she hoped he'd stay for the other's sakes. "But the wedding's not for a couple days."

"Yeah," Scott said, finally finding the key in his pocket, "but I think it's for the best." He quickly unlocked the door, and said with a bittersweet smile, "Relax, Chloe gave me her key. How else did you think I got inside the building?"

Swallowing hard as she approached the door, Evie said softly, "I'm sorry."

After pulling the key out of the door, Scott leaned his forehead against the door, shutting his eyes. "Does he know?"

"What?" Better question was: where the _heck _did that come from? One minute, they were bantering, the next, their problems on full display, and now… Evie couldn't pinpoint where he was going with this.

He shook his head as he opened the door, leaving it wide open for Evie to follow. Hearing her footsteps, Scott sighed, telling her that, "I don't care about it, any of it. But it's not enough."

Evie was still facing the door, grateful for that fact after she heard that. She didn't need any of her powers to know he was disappointed, and she couldn't blame him. He was right, but that didn't make finding answers any easier. "I don't know what you want me to say."

Scott rolled his eyes at her stubbornness as he continued to walk towards the bedroom, ready to give up, but instead he stopped, looked up, and blurted, "It scares you, doesn't it?"

"What?" Evie whispered back as she had finally turned away from the door.

"The idea of something that's more than temporary in your life." Scott turned around, stormed back to within a couple feet of Evie and told her, "You let this secret, your past, you let it consume you and now you can't even let yourself have your own life."

Evie took a step back, caught off-guard by the tone in his voice, but also by his proximity. "That's not true."

Scott just scoffed. "Chloe and Oliver are leaving to Star City, Lois and Clark are set up in Metropolis. Do you really plan to be a barista for the rest of your life?" Taking a deep breath, he grinned as he remembered the first time he saw her. "When I met you, you had this spark in your eyes, this anticipation for the world ahead of you." He remembered the way Evie talked about her dreams, as unknown to him at the time, she was literally starting again.

Soon enough, the grin on his face wore away, a neutral expression taking its place. "But it faded and you pushed everyone away." For what felt like the millionth time since he walked in the door, Scott rolled his eyes. "Looking back, it was a miracle that you even let me in."

All of what Scott had said had merit, every word. However, that didn't stop Evie from glaring at him. Since they met, Evie had barely been the pursuer. Scott had always insisted on getting to know her, and it was always Scott that found a way back into her life. Biting her lip to hold back a little of her frustration, Evie retorted, "If you know me so well, then why do you keep coming back?"

He had an answer for that all ready, it was the easiest thing he had to say since getting into the elevator. "You know what they say about absence and the heart."

Not really thinking about her response, Evie scoffed. "That it sucks?"

Scott laughed, as for once, he was the one caught off-guard by her words. For so long, she played it safe, with the exception of a couple light banters, covered quickly by her own walls, but this was the first time she said something he believed. "Actually, that's more appropriate than what they say."

She wanted to smile, but Evie knew that she couldn't give what he wanted. Not only that, but she had caused enough devastation in his life that she didn't want to risk doing any more. "You could have _anybody_," Evie said, biting her tongue hard as she felt tears coming, "and you –"

"Did you know that I almost bought a ticket to Metropolis twice before, just to get you back?"

No, but why would she? Evie had been so focused on his most recent activity that the idea Scott would ever want her back before all this kind of blew her mind, even with John trusting her to fix things. "Why?"

With that single word, Scott realized that Evie had no idea how much she meant to him, even now. "Because...I realized that you were my biggest mistake. Letting you get on that plane was the worst mistake I ever made."

"But what you don't realize is, Evie, Emily... Echo?" He grinned after saying the last one, hoping for a hint of humour in her expression, but Evie still had her walls up. "Whatever name you decide on, I don't expect everything to magically fall back into place. I just want you to be happy... and trust me again, if it's not too much."

"How can you say all this when you don't even know me? _I _don't even know me."

"Then allow me to fill in the blanks from here. Evie," he emphasized with a smirk, letting the name truly sink in, "you're brave when no one's looking, kind almost to a fault, with absolutely no faith in yourself, despite your blind faith in others."

Evie opened her mouth to interrupt, but Scott stopped her. "Ah ah ah… let me finish."

"You're a sports aficionado, a hero... and you've got the most beautiful smile when you let the world see it. And you've got a guy who loves you... and everything tells me that you love him too." Taking a breath, this was the hard part for Scott to admit, but it had to be done. Evie had to know that he had figured out everything. "It's just not me."

Her mouth gaped open, and then suddenly, everything that Scott had done in the past couple weeks had made sense. They were tests, every single one, to see how she felt about him, and instead of trying to keep from hurting his feelings by appearing neutral, he had determined her exact situation. "Scott...I can... I mean..."

Reaching out to touch her shoulder with his hand, Scott stopped her incomplete thoughts. "It's okay, really." Retracting his hand, Scott turned around, having a feeling that he'll sleep much better now. But within a couple of steps, he stopped again. "Just...don't wait so long. He won't admit it, but I'm pretty sure that Victor's waiting for you."

Evie had watched his eyes as he admitted everything, the way he walked away from her, and it hurt a lot, but Scott had seemed stronger about the whole thing than she could have imagined. But there was one thing that was plaguing her. "How come _you_ can see it?"

He had been in her life again for two months, and this was something that she hadn't told anyone, yet he called Evie on it, right in front of her face, with no hesitation in his voice.

Scott grinned momentarily before turning his head back to look at her. "I may not have known your deepest darkest secrets... but I lived with you. That came with a way to read you, a way to understand you better." He bit his tongue, reminding him of the first time he had seen Evie look at Victor. "The way you look at him... you can just see it, and after everything life's tossed your way..." Scott's voice trailed as he met Evie's eyes, full of confusion, so he just smiled. "It's actually really hard not to be happy for both of you."

Evie nodded, as she continued to process everything in her head. But upon seeing Scott open the bedroom door, Evie stepped forward, wanting to say one last thing. "Just... I know it's hard, but stay." Scott had thankfully stopped, likely confused by her words too, but Evie pressed on, knowing that she'd feel terrible for being the reason that Scott missed something that he could probably use in his life. Happiness, even if on the surface, it was someone else's. "Stay for everyone else. We can make this work, I know we can."

Scott grinned again, grateful for the effort on her part, and oddly, that was enough for him. "Okay."


	22. July part 2

_**July 9**_

Leaning up to stare at the clock, Scott was surprised to still see the empty bed on the other side of the room. He wanted to think they had handled the situation quite well, but he also figured that her problems ran a little deeper than their drama. But with that, he pulled back the sheets to get out of bed, hoping if nothing else that Evie was okay. Opening the door, he sighed as he noticed Evie sitting on the couch.

"You probably could use some shut-eye at this point," he said, announcing his presence. "Just my two cents."

Evie jumped in her seat before turning back to see him coming closer. Usually, she could hear everything, but she chose to stop and focus on what he told her... all the validity in what he said. "I couldn't sleep if I tried," she replied honestly, knowing that no matter where she tried to sleep, she could never calm herself enough to get any sleep. "Less than a day ago, I thought I was ready for everything, but between Oliver, Chloe, even you said my fears getting the best of me."

"Well, I don't think you're going to find the answers at 2 a.m."

"You'd be surprised," Evie replied, realizing just what she had been doing. It was hard to protect other people, to worry about other people when she overlooked bringing her own life together. Scott was right, she couldn't stay in Metropolis, she needed a fresh start. In fact, by taking this time for herself made Evie realize all the things she had avoided, because she always put herself last, even in a time when she needed to put herself first.

Worst of all was that Chloe was right and Evie wasn't wearing renewed life as easily as she should. "I always assumed the worst, so it never crossed my mind that I'd actually hold onto anything resembling a life."

"It doesn't help that you're always taking care of other people."

Turning back to stare at her feet, Evie added, "Well, to me, happiness was a fairytale I didn't deserve, because the moment I accepted it, something bad happened. The least I could do is try to give it to someone who could."

"But you have nothing to be afraid of anymore." Scott didn't know everything, but last he talked with everyone, the world seemed to be a better place for Evie now.

Of course, even though every fibre of Evie wanted to believe it, she couldn't let go because the only reason this whole thing happened was because she let her guard down. "What's to say there won't be someone else looking for me? I don't want anyone to go through that again, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost anyone else."

It was a valid concern on most days, likely during their entire relationship, but Scott didn't see a chance of things getting darker than they did... and they survived that. "Evie, you have a band of superheroes in your arsenal to fix things." She looked up at him, still unconvinced, so Scott cut to the chase. "But I'm willing to bet that your fears are unnecessary."

Evie let out a tired sigh as she averted her eyes once more. "Can you blame me for being scared?"

He couldn't, but Evie was letting her fears define her again and that was the real problem. This whole problem stemmed from years ago, and even that was a prominent memory in her mind. "You know who was at fault for the safe house fire?" Her body jerked out of surprise, but Scott only noticed it from the corner of his eye as he stared ahead. "I was the reason my father changed his assignment, LuthorCorp was after him, you may have been the reason he lit the match, but _he _lit the match. You have to let that, and the rest of it, go."

Scott laughed as he leaned back on the couch, remembering all the disappointment his father brought him as a kid, all those birthday presents left untouched, the compliments ignored. But he did provide one thing that Scott would never be able to thank him for.

"Despite everything, him sacrificing his life allowed me to meet you." Slipping his hand under hers, Scott squeezed it softly. "And that's something I'll never regret whether I'm sitting next to you or countries away. Even as your friend."

Evie shook her head as she covered his hand, still in disbelief at how well Scott was taking the whole thing. "I really have to stop underestimating you."

After a shrug, Scott smiled, as all this became a lot easier to handle now that he had free will again. "You're a part of my life. I tried running from it, but now... I'm ready for us to be friends."

"You _will _find someone else, I swear. I'm happy to give a positive reference if you need."

"Yeah," Scott replied with a scoff, "that's what I need, my ex as my wingwoman."

"Friend," Evie corrected, reminding him of the word Scott himself had used earlier. "The other word has an unnecessary negative connotation."

Smiling, Scott stood up and took a look outside at the Metropolis skyline. While he appreciated the offer, it seemed like he would be taking that role first. "Do yourself a favour... and get out of here," he said softly, knowing to expect her confused reaction.

He didn't know what she was going through or the path to take to find herself, and this wasn't likely his place. But every question Evie was asking, it was a lot easier to answer once she figured out the 'who' in her life, and he had a feeling that Evie would re-find her spark if she was with Victor.

Part of Scott couldn't believe that he was about to do this, but there was a small part of him that thought he had gotten through to her. "Victor told you to fight to get your life back, so I think it's time you fought for him." He pulled her off the couch, keeping her hand as he walked her over to the door. "Be selfish for once, because you're a hard woman to say no to when you decide that you want something."

**~0~**

She hated rain, especially when it came up unannounced. Still in her bachelorette party dress, or at least, that's what it used to be before the storm started, Evie couldn't believe that she was doing this. She had told Scott that she'd think about it, but he locked her out of her own apartment. He only opened the door once more to toss out her purse, telling her to call a cab, but Evie decided it was better to walk it off, make sure what she was doing was remotely the right call.

It was this moment that she understood everything Chloe had put off. Except Oliver had kissed her, he had made the first move. Evie had done that months ago, and sure, a crappy situation took them apart, but he was still acting strange around her, and as much as she wanted to know what was going on inside his head, Evie refused to step over that line. That was his business, not hers, and she would do this the human way, regardless of the ending.

Her whole life since 33.1, she calculated moves like on a chess board. Evie had lost pieces, and she even thought she had lost the game, but what Evie forgot was that she was never alone. She really had friends this time, as invisible hands had played their part. Watchtower had its fair share of answers, as she poured over the database, seeing the consequences of her decision to disappear in April. Chloe had an entire folder, which included a layout of Metropolis where Bart had ran to, where Clark had been, the extent that Lois had used her contacts at the _Daily Planet_, the extent Oliver had pushed his name, trying for answers.

Evie had returned to work at Metro a couple of weeks ago, the entire staff surprised to see her, but Tess had covered for her, so in the end everything was normal, except with Angie. She was the person Evie had gotten closest to at Metro, and she walked up to Evie during a lull in business and asked her for the truth.

Evie had to lie, but that's when Evie found out about Victor's visits to her workplace. Angie disclosed the genuine worry in his voice, the nerves in his movement. So when Evie went back and looked over the database a few days ago, she paid special attention to his contributions. Pages of notes, details about the alias she had created, the hotel video footage, and the abandoned building she actually called home for two days.

It was because of Victor that they almost found her, because in the end, he knew her, probably better than she did herself.

As she stared up at the rain, pouring down against her skin, soaking in her hair, Evie noticed that she couldn't feel the chill in the air while keeping up her pace. Her thought process had turned to focus the symbolism of what rain had been in the past. It had rained the day of Riley Kane's funeral, the day Evie realized Victor wasn't joining her and Issac in protective custody, the day she was dumped, and it even carried over to Star City. Sure, rain had existed on other days, but it was these moments that thrived in Evie's mind.

It was the guilt she carried with her, the same guilt that everyone told her to let go of, but couldn't. Why couldn't it have rained the day of the fire? Why did Riley tell her to leave? Why couldn't have she just left everyone be and lived a life somewhere else?

_But when this is all done... things will be different. It will be worth it, trust me._

Maybe that's why she felt hesitant now, walking down this street, doing this at all, but as she reached the building, she knew it was too late now. She had to do this, her purse even contained the key Bart had given her so she could get inside. From the front door to the apartment door, it was a blur, so once she aligned herself in front of the door, she slipped her key back in her purse, feeling a shiver go through her body.

Lifting her hand, she knocked on the door twice, hoping that he was here. The time wasn't an issue, as she knew that Victor stayed up late most nights. However, with each second that went by, the sound ticking in her head rose in sound, increasing the nerves in her head.

Finally hearing footsteps, Evie took a couple deep breaths, but that was pointless, as the door swung open. Before she could say anything, she noticed Victor's mouth gape open in surprise. "Evie, what are you doing here?" He shrugged off his hoodie, walking towards her to drape it over her shoulders, pausing momentarily as their eyes met. "There's no reason for you to be out during this storm."

When he gestured for her to enter the apartment, Evie did so. "I'm not afraid of a little rain." Although little may be an understatement, the weather was probably a blessing in disguise. "And you and I both know I've gone through much worse." Turning around after she heard the door click shut, she narrowed her eyes, wondering how Victor could have disappeared in such a short period of time.

"Here," Victor called from the bathroom, soon emerging from it with a towel for Evie, but upon seeing how soaked she was, he said, "On second thought, that's probably not going to be enough."

Evie held out her other hand to stop him, taking the towel and running it through her hair. "No… it's fine. I won't be staying long."

"See, that's where _you're_ wrong." He waited for a second to see her expression at him echoing her words back at her. No matter what he had done, there was no way he was letting her go back out there. The retort she would give him was inevitable, but as he left his bedroom with sweatpants and a t-shirt, he said simply, "From personal experience, pneumonia sucks. You're strong Evie, but not invincible."

"Fine, I'll be... right back." She walked towards the bathroom, slightly frustrated because this was not the way Evie saw this going. After closing the door, she leaned her head back as she heard Victor's voice from the other side of the door.

"Must have been quite the party if you're still out."

Evie smirked as she pulled out her phone, realizing just what time it was. "I wouldn't know... I left early." She began to change, almost glad for his offer for clothes now that her cold dress was off her body. It certainly helped her comfort level now that she didn't have to worry about being soaked.

But she felt herself stiffen as she heard approaching footsteps. "So... what has you up at this time?"

"You," Evie replied before she could stop herself. There were other things that kept her awake, but those were all things he knew. "Everyone looks at me and sees some sort of hero, but the truth is... I wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for you."

"I don't think that's –"

"We know each other... better than anyone else," she interjected, knowing he'd refute that. "It's how I know that you continuously doubt who you are, even though you truly understand the human side of everyone you meet."

Shaking her head, Evie brought her face up to the mirror, seeing her make-up streaming down her cheeks. She could wash it off, maybe try to pull herself together, but instead, she just smiled. "You brought people together, kept secrets when you had to, and you had an open ear no matter what happened."

One particular conversation flashed back in her mind, one that she desperately needed. She isolated herself on purpose after she was shot, yet he always found a way through to her. "Trust me, I know this is going to sound twisted, but you were the one thing the Luthors did right. You beat the system and in the end, you were the reason he fell."

Stopping suddenly, realizing that she had to stop talking to him from the bathroom. After tucking her phone into the pocket of the hoodie Victor lent her, Evie approached the door, almost scared to see his reaction once she opened it. "Because the piece that brought and held everyone together wasn't me." Looking up, there he was, inches from the door. "It was you."

It was more than her reason to stay and her recent freedom. Victor was the reason she stayed in the States, keeping herself to close to his life. Without wanting to save him, Evie never would have met Chloe, Oliver... anyone in her life now. She never would have reunited with Bart.

"Evie... why are you here?"

She thought she had made herself pretty clear, but apparently not. "I know we've been ignoring my prior admission and I also know how much a blow Katherine leaving was but...if you don't feel the same way about me, can you just man up and admit it?"

"What?"

It probably wasn't the approach Scott had in mind when he told her to fight, but her nerves re-emerged the moment she saw him once she opened the door. "Vic, I had to figure out me, and like always, you respected that. But it felt like you _dropped _me from your life." As much as she appreciated the apology, Evie wanted an explanation; a reason why he felt ignoring her would be better than what Victor had always done.

"That's what you thought I was doing?" He considered laughing, but he bit his tongue. All this time, Victor thought he wasn't even close to being subtle, and he always figured that she read his mind on New Year's Eve after he kissed her. The whole reason he did that was because it was the one chance to show her how he felt without stepping over the line.

It didn't help that their timing always sucked, but it was clear that they really did need to talk about this. "Think back at what happened... only put yourself in my shoes."

Walking away from her, Victor collapsed on the couch, turning his head towards the window. Fitting considering he could see Watchtower from this view. "After you said that... you never gave me a chance to respond. Then you left, with no intention of coming back. When you did, you weren't forced to choose the only option in front of you."

Evie dropped the towel in her hand, stunned. Part of that made her feel pretty stupid, but there was one word stood out amongst all that.

_Forced?_, she almost blurted, completely blindsided. "You are... an idiot." His eyes widened, contrary to Evie shutting hers. She didn't think this situation was nearly this messed up. "I offered Scott a place to stay was that I knew it was the only place he could go that wasn't Watchtower. Considering the memories that place held for him, I thought the least I could provide him was a temporary change of scenery." Evie silently added that she wanted to gain the strength to tell Scott the truth, to get that closure, it just never happened the way she imagined.

He gave a nonchalant shrug, as Victor knew that he could never fully justify his behaviour. So much had changed that he couldn't bear the thought of her changing her mind. The fact they never talked about it didn't help, so he let it go. "I figured if you had the choice... I mean the guy saved your life."

Her head cocked to the side, as Evie couldn't believe that was best he had. "33.1, Germany, a Metropolis park bench," she said, slowly walking towards him. "If saving my life is a criterion... you still win. Unless you want me to list more."

Victor shook his head as he stood up. "It's what we do." Reaching forward, he interlaced his fingers in hers, relieved when she let him. "I never wanted to lose you like that, even if it was your choice. I'd take more than a bullet if it meant that you were safe again." Feeling himself smile, he leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. "Although it's pretty hard to believe that after all this time... we're still here."

They had their fair share of close calls, but they had made their way through all of them. As she felt Victor place his other hand on her hip, Evie felt a single tear slip, except for once, it was out of relief. "I know the feeling, but if I needed to go through this to bring me here, then I'm okay with that."

"Me too."

There wasn't much distance between them, so Evie lifted her chin slightly, wanting to ask if they were okay, but Victor answered that for her. The kiss was short, but all she needed, although the smile he gave her afterwards didn't hurt either.

As they stood there, Victor lifted his hand to cup her cheek, feeling her wet hair on his fingertips, reminding him of the initial reason he told her to stay. "C'mon," he whispered, "let's warm you up."

**~0~**

Opening her eyes, Evie smiled as she remembered her circumstances. The soft cotton on her skin, the strong arms wrapped tightly around her body, the talk of just a few hours ago, likely the reason she hardly slept once she set her head down on the pillow. This moment... felt perfect.

Although the constant buzzing sound, not to mention the consistent vibration against her was an unwanted interruption. Titling her head against his chest, she muttered, "Your phone's ringing."

She vaguely heard him chuckle, as Victor was clearly more coherent than she was. "That's not mine."

"Hmmm?" Evie shuffled back slightly, still feeling the vibration. "So it's not." Suddenly, she remembered grabbing her phone so that she woke up in time to meet Chloe. Except now, as she saw her friend's name light up her phone, she decided that she could call Chloe back.

Victor narrowed his eyes, as he didn't expect for Evie to grab her phone while she was in the bathroom. Initially, he figured there was a reason, but now, he was confused. "You sure you don't want to get that?"

Evie nodded, as there was something more important now than coffee with Chloe. As she finally looked up at him, she reminded herself of how her make-up looked in the mirror earlier, and how she never had time to fix it. "How bad do I look right now?"

"I'm not answering that," Victor replied with no hesitation. "That's like boyfriend bait."

Evie chuckled. "Boyfriend, huh?"

"That a problem?"

Far from it in her mind, as Evie shook her head. "Just didn't think you'd acknowledge it so quickly." Hearing another cell phone ringing, Evie sighed as she turned her head over her shoulder. "Okay, that's not mine."

It was his phone this time, but like his girlfriend, Victor was content where he was. "It's in the other room... perfectly good reason to ignore a call."

Or rather, it was until both of them heard Bart answer his phone, causing Evie to narrow her eyes. "Wait... was that Bart's phone?"

Victor shook his head as he wondered why exactly Bart had decided to answer his phone now. It wasn't _that _early. "We have an open phone policy," was the only rationale he could tell Evie at the time, fully expecting the raised eyebrow she gave him as Victor looked back at her.

Despite his position, Victor shrugged, knowing the reason for the policy in the first place, "If I'm busy working on something and I have the world's fastest man at my disposal, I'd be a fool to not take advantage of that. Peering up, Victor realized that, "I'm going to have to rethink that strategy now though."

Rotating her head slightly, Evie caught sight of the door as she heard Bart's voice getting closer. "Do you have an open door policy too?"

"Not established yet... something tells me that I'm might have to start one."

Sure enough, the door started to open, Bart's voice filling the room. "Yeah, I'll just check and see if he's..." Bart's voice trailed upon looking up at the sight in front of him. There was a moment of silent shock, but he gained his composure. "Sorry Oliver... looks like he's out."

Evie and Victor were surprised at how nonchalantly Bart hung up, before he gave them both a glare. "You two owe me," he said before either had a chance to start explaining. He didn't want an explanation, or rather, he didn't need it. Looking solely at Victor, he added, "If you do anything –"

"There's nowhere I can run from you," Victor finished, giving the other man a reassuring smile. "Got it."

"Good, but I'm not your answering service." Bart tossed the phone on the bed, and knew that he wanted nothing to do with staying in this situation. "Even though it's about damn time," were his final words before shutting the door behind him.

"Well, I've got cousin approval."

Evie chuckled, knowing there was a lot more to that conversation than the words that were said. "Sounds like you've had it for awhile."

Truthfully, Victor never really knew where he stood with Bart on this matter, all he knew was that he didn't want to see his cousin get hurt. And Victor had no intention of ever doing so, which is why he wasted no time turning off his phone to focus on her again, only to hear the familiar buzzing again. "Is someone expecting you?"

Pulling out her phone again in frustration, Evie replied honestly. "I was supposed to meet up for coffee today with Chloe." This time, she checked the time on her phone and realized there was a reason to why Chloe was calling her. "An hour ago."

Victor nodded, as he didn't want to keep Evie from her life. "You can go, if you want."

She felt him loosen his grip on her, so Evie quickly reached up to keep his arm in place. Coffee with Chloe could happen whenever... _this _was different. Evie had been waiting a long time for this. "I'm rather comfortable, thank you."

Her words brought a smile to his lips, but Victor glanced down at her phone and realized that this wasn't a call that could stay unanswered. "But you should let her know that you're not answering."

"Fine," she replied, just barely catching the call before it went to voicemail. "Hey Chloe."

_"Where are you?"_

"I slept in," Evie blurted, almost surprised at how easily it came out. It was technically the truth, where and who she slept with didn't have to be disclosed unless absolutely necessary.

_"I stopped by the apartment, but Scott said you weren't there."_

Evie bit her lip, not entirely sure what to tell her right now. "Chloe, I'm fine."

_"I want to believe you, but you tend use that saying for granted."_

A solid point, sure, but Evie was kind of hoping that she could keep this a secret for at least a little while. Or at least until they figured things out. "Can you make an exception?"

Hearing her friend sigh on the other end of the line, Evie should have known that was way too much to ask. _"No. What's going on?"_

"You know what? Turnabout's fair play." Closing her eyes, a part of her knowing she'd regret the single word, but she gave in, knowing it was the only way. "Pineapple."

Victor blinked as he watched Evie turn off her phone, toss it aside. When he caught her eye, he was asking what he figured was an understandable question. "Pineapple?"

Evie smiled, knowing how dumb it sounded to him. "Chloe knows what it means."

"It's a... fruit."

"And that word alone buys all the privacy we need." Feeling pretty smug at the moment, Evie peered up, playfulness in her eyes. "You have a problem?" When all Victor gave her was a smile, she kissed him. "Didn't think so."

**~0~**

_Well, that certainly answered a lot of questions._

To think a few weeks ago, that word wouldn't have helped Chloe at all, but as she stood outside of Oliver's office, she couldn't help but reminisce over the short conversation Oliver and her shared at Metro after Scott and Evie left.

_Chloe's eyes narrowed immediately as Oliver's words sunk in. It wasn't something she had been looking for, but now that it was mentioned to her, Chloe wondered how she didn't see it. "How long have you known?"_

_"Since Evie disappeared." Oliver stared down as he remembered the state his friend was in when Victor told him that Evie had left. "Victor was a wreck and he knew that he had to tell someone else about the night she disappeared." _

_The look on his face said it all, not to mention how Victor told him how Evie had visited Watchtower one last time. It didn't take much more than that for Oliver to realize how his friend was feeling. "I know all too well what it's like... being in love with someone and not being able to tell them because extraordinary circumstances keep you away from her."_

_"Does she know now?"_

_Oliver shrugged, for while Evie had the capability to figure that out, he knew that she would never use it. That choice had its consequences. "Knowing Victor, he's letting her decide, letting her make her choice. Knowing Evie... she's likely too scared to acknowledge what she wants."_

So as she opened the door to the office to help her boyfriend with a technical problem, Chloe had a renewed smile on her face. "Hey."

"Hey." Seeing Chloe enter the office, Oliver rolled his chair to the side, allowing her to work on his computer. Some of the technical stuff he could handle, but sometimes, it was better to let the pros handle it. "Thanks for this. I know I probably interrupted your time with Evie... and normally I'd call Vic for this, but he seems to be busy." Stepping behind her, Oliver wrapped his arms around her back and kissed the top of her head. "It's not that I don't trust you to do the job. I just... see ourselves getting distracted before the job's done."

After a deep breath, Chloe continued to type away. "A fair point, but our mutual friend stood me up this morning, so I was on my way to see you anyway."

That could have been a throwaway comment, but there was something in Chloe's voice that caught Oliver's attention. She was oddly happy; especially considering this was Evie they were talking about. "What's going on?"

Besides Chloe's fingers on the keyboard, silence filled the air, as Chloe's grin returned while she finished up the work she needed. With the last key stroke, she retreated her hands from the keyboard, turning around to lean her back against the desk and curling her fingers around the desk's edge. "Evie said 'pineapple' to me this morning."

"You mean..."

It didn't take long for Chloe to nod, as Oliver would be more than capable of filling in that blank. "I visited the apartment, Scott was there, she wasn't, and he had _no _idea where she was. So what do you want to bet that your normal repairman's excuse is related?"

Leaning his forehead down to touch hers, Oliver shook his head slightly as everything started to make sense. "And Bart's covering for both of them."

* * *

><p><em>Sera's Scribbles: As an fic writer, VictorEvie is like my personal Chlollie, because oddly enough, this was not my original outcome for Evie's love life. The last three months were around 60% written when I passed August to Sly... when she gave Victor/Evie the OTP stamp. Except my original ending had Scott and Evie reuniting... and I may have killed off Victor. _

_So what changed my mind? It helped (and blew me away) that a few people shipped them in "Notbroken," and Sly played her part, leading to me experimenting with my old ending. Oddly enough, at least half of my original words made the cut, they just needed to be tweaked. _

_However, the true turning point was the first scene in __October part 3__, my personal "Roulette" moment. The rest, they say, is history... including finding a way to write them in another story (which no one called me on). _

_So to everyone who said that they liked them... thank you. It's intimidating to attempt this, but to know that people like them as much as I like to write them... it means the world. So thank you and I hope you enjoy the concluding chapter to come._


	23. July part 3

_**July 11 **_

Clark and Lois couldn't have asked for a better day. Bright sunshine, blue sky and a light breeze filled the air as Evie walked towards the Kent barn. The last few days had been spent prepping this place as a reception hall, and based on what she saw last night; Evie knew it was going to be beautiful.

What she didn't expect was to see her ex-boyfriend talking to her brother in front of the barn. Her actual brother, one she hadn't talked to since she was a teenager. She considered turning around and _running_ back to her car, but she couldn`t. There was no other reason for him to be here, so she swallowed hard and approached them.

"Will," she said quietly, announcing her presence, noticing the way her brother's face lit up when he saw her.

Looking between the two siblings, Scott figured now would be the best time to take his leave. "I'll let you catch up." That was an understatement, and he knew this was a huge overstep, but Scott hoped that she would see why he told Will where she was.

"So..." Evie started, trying to find a way to start this conversation when she noticed Will's wedding ring. "I believe I'm two years late in saying this, but congrats for marrying the girl who, and I quote, 'meant nothing' to you when I caught you two making out in the basement."

Will laughed, a little out of disbelief as he didn't think she'd remembered that. "Time changes things." Oddly enough, it was his sister's disappearance that brought them closer together, even as Will was determined that there was more to the story that his parents told him, she stuck by him. "So... Evelyn huh? Taking grandma's middle name was an interesting choice."

Tilting her head to acknowledge his point, Evie knew the name wasn't the most creative, but it was a small essence of her life that was. "Hence the shortening; Evie was more fun."

"I guess I should probably explain how I got here."

"Please," Evie said as her shoulders relaxed more. "It's not that I'm not happy to see you, I just... I'm stumped."

From there Will told her everything, the constant questioning, the way their mother apologized right before she passed away the previous year, the sudden visit from a guy thinking his sister was alive after all. "I was the one who answered the door when Scott came and we talked a bit before Dad came home."

Will wanted to get into more detail, but he noticed that other people were starting to arrive and he didn't want to overstay his welcome. "It's funny, because Audrey's had this theory that Evie Chambers was your twin, and when my call was returned from the tip line... I knew it had to be you. So when Scott called me back, I told him that I had to see you one last time. Don't be mad."

She wasn't mad, but she knew her brother was holding back a little, which was understandable. It didn't surprise her that Will had figured it all out, he always had great instincts, but Evie had so many questions she wanted to ask him. Yet everytime she opened her mouth, her emotions would get the best of her, leading Evie to hug her brother. "It's so good to see you."

"Speak for yourself," Will replied, closing his eyes as the hug wore on. "Are you coming home?"

Evie stilled at those words, for although she should have expected them, she didn't in that moment. "I don't know."

"When Chloe called, all I asked was if there was a chance you were alive and she said yes." Backing away, Will shrugged, averting his eyes once more as everything flashed in front of him. "After that, Dad told me everything, what happened to you, why you were taken from our lives. He doesn't know that you're alive, but he doesn't care about what you can do, sis. I don't either; we all just want you home again. Holidays weren't the same without you, nothing was the same. I think even Mom knew that."

The more she looked at him, the more Evie could see that her brother was on the brink of tears, and she wanted to say something to make him feel better, but she didn't want to let him down. Stepping forward, she was about to comfort him when she felt a different hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Chloe's looking for you."

"Thanks Vic." Evie dipped her head, knowing this wasn't the way she wanted to leave things, but the best response she had was, "I'll... think about it."

"I'll take it," he whispered, and Evie began to walk away, leading Will to turn around and see that her friend remained where he was.

"I knew your sister when she was still Emily," Victor started, knowing this was something Will would want to hear. "I can't tell you everything, but I will say that despite the many dark days, your sister is one of the strongest people I have ever met."

"I believe that." Will looked towards where Evie had taken off, just barely managing a smile. "And I'm glad to see she isn't alone."

Looking over his shoulder, Victor caught a glimpse of Evie entering the barn and he said softly, "She never was."

It didn't take long for Will to realize how true that statement was, or who the man in front of him was to his sister. Knowing that she had this was more than Will could have ever asked, and he was ready to accept the fact that even if she didn't come home... she was happy. "I should probably go, but I was glad to meet you..."

"Victor." He shook Will's hand proudly, meeting the other man's eyes. "Likewise."

**~0~**

It was easy for Evie to relax as the night wore on, but the idea that her brother had been here spooked her more than she wanted to admit. Victor had told her that they would talk later, but her biological family was something she was always willing to live without, so again, the chance of going back had seemed impossible prior to a few hours ago.

She wasn't the only person contemplating something, for although Scott agreed to stay, Evie could sense how he was distancing himself from the group by remaining in his chair. Replacing her self-reflection with a sincere grin, she approached Scott quickly and pulled him out of his seat. "Okay, no more moping."

As they approached the dance floor, there was something calming about knowing where they stood and also understanding it. Before, there might have been this awkwardness between them, but now, they could just act naturally and finally, she noticed Scott grin as they moved their feet to the smooth piano interlude in the background. "See... not so bad right?"

"I'm glad I stayed," Scott said with a nod, his smile falling slightly, but not out of unhappiness. "I... want you to know that I talked to John and he told me there was an opening with the Chronicle."

Her eyes immediately widened, knowing that was the dream for him for years. One he gave up while he was with Evie when she got her break. "And you're going for it right?"

He nodded again, as Scott applied last month during his recovery, but he didn't want to tell anyone until there was a reason to think he had a shot. "I had a phone interview last week, and thanks to Tess volunteering herself as a reference... I have an in-person interview in Star City. I leave tomorrow morning."

Feeling her smile widen, Evie tapped the hand that rested on his shoulder. "I always knew you could do it."

"I know," he replied simply, finding a grin once more. But as he lifted his head, he noticed that it was time to officially let go. Releasing her slowly, Evie looked up at Scott, confused, but he just smiled. "I believe there is another gentleman that wishes to dance with you."

"You don't mind, do you?" Victor asked, taking Evie's hand. He didn't mean to cut in, as he wanted them to have their moment, but once he had caught Scott's eye, Victor knew there was no avoiding it. It's why Scott's response was a short shake of the head before he walked away.

It didn't take long for Evie to place her hands on him and for the first minute or so, she just stared at him. Victor could see that she was deep in thought, and that she wasn't trying to hide it, so he thought it was only fair to ask, "What?"

Evie smirked momentarily, thinking about today as a whole. A wedding, a job offer, people leaving for different places. It was a time to move on, to build their lives together, but in the case of Chloe and Oliver, they were about to give a particular home a second chance. If they could, then maybe so could Evie.

So she released the lip she had been biting and found it within herself to say, "I'm ready to go home."

Victor took it silently, knowing that there was no need to ask if it was what she wanted. However she did surprise him when she leaned in and kiss him. He thought that they were waiting to tell everyone else, but once she backed away, Evie smiled wider than he had ever seen. So he leaned his forehead towards her, forgetting the music in the background and just standing there with her in the middle of the dance floor.

That wasn't to say their actions went unnoticed as Chloe and Lois stood near the head table, the former shaking her head as her suspicions were confirmed. The latter was a little more surprised, but not completely shocked. Evie had been oddly happy lately, Lois figured it was related to something else. "When did _that _happen?"

"That is the million dollar question," Chloe replied as she leaned against the table, sipping her champagne. "Between Lex, LuthorCorp, Watchtower, I... I guess I didn't really pay attention to it."

Lois laughed, finishing her flute before setting it down. "I told her to date a teammate, and she shot me down."

Chloe remembered that day. It felt like ages ago, in a way it was, but considering everything that happened, she knew they weren't ready at the time. In the end, what mattered was that when Chloe looked at her friends and see how happy they are. "Regardless...they deserve this."

"I second that," Oliver interjected as he wrapped his arm around Chloe's shoulders, pulling her close. Chloe quickly responded, leaning her head against his chest.

"C'mon Mrs. Kent, that dance floor looks a little empty," Clark said, but upon seeing Lois open her mouth, he smiled. "I know you're hyphenating, but for today...?"

"Fine," Lois replied, taking his hand.

The laughs, smiles and overall love in the air wasn't missed either from Tess Mercer, watching the reception from a distance, as the only reason she came was because Clark had insisted her attendance. Seeing how happy everyone was... it was nice, but her life was still a mess and she had a feeling that she would be leaving soon.

That was before she heard someone else stand next to her. "Easy to feel out of place here isn't it?"

Recognizing him immediately, Tess didn't take long to supply her reason. "Well, Dr. Hamilton, I never expected to be invited."

"Emil, please," he replied, holding out his hand to her. "The only way you're going to feel like you belong in this world is to step into it."

The doctor had a point, so Tess took his hand and decided it was time to relax a little. "I should warn you... I may try to lead."

Emil turned his head over his shoulder. "Do what you must... but I'm far from having two left feet."

Tess chuckled. Maybe this doctor had more in store for her than she thought.

* * *

><p><em><strong>July 19<strong>_

It felt like a lifetime since she had been here, yet the memories were still strong. However, it felt fitting that one moment stood out as she set her bag down. Walking slowly towards the glass door leading to the balcony, Chloe gripped her heart-shaped pendant, thinking about how many days she spent looking at this view alone. More specifically, the first day she lived in this place and she looked at this view alone.

But there was one important difference now, as Oliver walked through the door with the rest of their stuff. He smiled at her like always, dropping the boxes and closing the door with his foot. Taking a few steps towards her, Chloe followed suit, interlacing fingers when they were close enough.

True, this place didn't have the most positive memories, most were laced with bittersweet, but the rest... they were okay. And the best part was that they were still together and they could give this space a new start.

Twirling his fingers in her loose curls, Oliver leaned his head towards her. "What are you thinking about?"

Chloe leaned her head up before wrapping her arms around his waist. "Remember what you told me the first time I was here?"

"That was the Valentine's Day your dorm building shut down, right?" When Chloe nodded, Oliver tried to remember which comment she meant. "The third wheel comment came back to bite, so I'm hoping that's not the one you mean."

"There's a lucky guy out there who's coming as fast as he can." Chloe laughed about it at the time, but considering the events that followed, in a weird sense, it was true. "Did you mean yourself when you said it?"

"There's a part of me that wants to say yes."

"Then you sure took your time," Chloe said, followed by a short laugh before she let go of him, finding her gaze returning to the familiar pane of glass. "You have no ideas many times I'd look here and see your reflection looking back at me. The fact that you're actually here now when I look at it is ..."

Oliver heard her choke up slightly, so he pulled Chloe tight to him, feeling her grip her fists in his shirt. He could only imagine all the pain she experienced while he was missing. "Trust me, no one is happier that I'm here than I am. Starting this life with you here...it's everything I wanted."

They stood there for a minute, as Chloe slowly calmed down. Peering up at him, she managed a small smile. Thinking about her first night, there was so much that showed his supportive nature, but tonight was different, they were different.

"You're not sleeping on the couch this time."

Reaching forward, Oliver slid his hand through her hair to cradle the side of her face. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He leaned in and kissed her, and it didn't take Chloe long to respond, tightening her grip against him once more.

She moaned as Oliver's tongue massaged against hers, and then he wasted little time bringing her up in the air, waiting for her legs to wrap around him before he stepped towards his bedroom, his lips never leaving hers.

Slipping the jacket from her shoulders, Oliver thought how fitting it was that she was wearing that particular jacket. When he gave it to her that Christmas, it was no accident, as in his head, Oliver had always planned to tell Chloe about Green Arrow, and even though he chickened away from it, her reaction was one he expected. Her steely resolve to change the world, even as a teenager, never ceased to amaze him, but the fact that Chloe found a way to forgive Oliver was more than he could have asked.

And as he laid her down on his bed, all of the dreams he had of Chloe being here flashed in front of him. Sure, they had been together for a long time, but this was different, this was a new beginning with a reminder of where they started.

"I love you," he whispered as he hovered over Chloe, staring down into the eyes that never gave up on him.

She could see that he was deep in thought, so she brought him down to her, her kiss hard as she lifted her hips to rock against his. "I love you too."

It was easy to reflect, to get lost in the past, but eventually, that had to fade away so that they could move forward. And for Oliver, those simple words were all it took for his mind to be clear, to focus on the woman here with him now, the happiness she made him feel, and he had every intention of reminding her of that tonight. Over and over and over again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>July 21<strong>_

_This was it_, Evie thought as she closed her last suitcase. Her lease was up at the end of the month, but she couldn't wait any longer. There were a lot of things she had to do and she didn't want to wait to start. Looking up to see the sunset, Evie felt it was fitting, so she turned around with her bag on her shoulder, only to stop upon seeing Lois in her kitchen.

"You really are leaving."

Dropping her bag back down, Evie couldn't help but shrug. "I have to live my own life, and I won't do that here, and I won't do it in Star City." When Lois' expression didn't change, Evie wanted to remind her friend of all the amazing things she had here and how Evie wanted that for herself, but she held it back.

Rushing forward, Lois wrapped her arms around Evie, squeezing almost so tight that Evie lost her breath momentarily. "Don't be a stranger, okay?"

When Lois backed away, Evie felt herself exhale. "I won't, and feel free to visit whenever." There was a part of her that figured she may regret that comment, but she also knew that Lois was busy right now, what with newlywed life and all. That, and the last thing Evie wanted was to abandon her friends again.

"Does that apply for me as well?"

Smiling upon seeing her ride at the door, Evie went back to grab her bag. It wasn't much, but Bart agreed to take her back and forth as many times as necessary to get what she needed from here. For now, this bag would do. "You're blood Bart, of course it does."

"Alright then let's get this over with." Bart held his hand out and within seconds, they both disappeared from the room, leaving Lois smiling before she exited the apartment herself. It was hard, but deep down, Lois knew this was the right call.

**~0~**

Bart had dropped her off at the front door of her new apartment complex and after their goodbyes, Evie noticed that he didn't move from his spot, even as the elevator closed. He was always protective of her, something she appreciated, but Evie was ready for this new chapter in her life. Even if it appeared that any unpacking would have to wait until morning, as the lights were off in their apartment.

Once she was inside, she did up the extra lock, grateful that Vic hadn't used that lock in the first place or else she would have had to wake him up. Placing her bag down slowly, Evie abandoned it as she tiptoed towards the bedroom, where sure enough, Victor was sleeping.

It seemed like he was right about the state of the furniture in the apartment, as their 'bed' was a mattress on the floor, but Evie had faith that they would figure it out soon enough.

However, she didn't want to disturb him, so Evie was about to head towards the main room and sleep on the recliner, but a particular possession next to the bed caught her eye. Approaching it carefully, Evie blinked continuously, not believing that this was here. Sighing, she realized that Victor must have stopped by Scott's place, because she had left this particular item in Ann Arbor when she left him.

It felt like ages ago, pulling that jersey out of the bag, simpler days when they all hung out at Lazee's and SCU. She immediately got it framed, terrified that she would ruin it, but it was something that she hid away because it was something she was so attached to as Emily. Kneeling down, Evie streamed her fingers down the frame. Maybe things had a chance to be that simple again.

About to stand up again, Evie felt her arm being grabbed. "You're... early."

Evie moved slightly to sit on the edge of the mattress. He hadn't opened his eyes yet, but based on his grip, he was waking up. And also right, as her estimated time of arrival was supposed to be tomorrow. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No," Victor replied as he finally opened his eyes, "but I... had plans."

Lowering herself to lie on the bed, Evie lifted her hand and caressed his cheek lightly. "I always thought you were a night hawk."

Victor tiredly scoffed, reaching forward to pull her close to him. It had taken plenty to get to this point, but the result felt worth it in his book. "Lots of long nights, trying to save a crazy girl... still getting caught up I guess."

Seeing his eyes shut once more, Evie lightly chuckled, nestling her head towards his chest. "'Night you."

* * *

><p><em><strong>July 28<strong>_

"I can't do this... explain to me why I thought I could do this."

Victor shook his head as he undid his seatbelt. He expected as much from her, but just a few days ago, she saw her other brother in a convenience store and realized that she couldn't avoid this anymore. Despite all that, even with the seven years that had passed, there was one constant fact with this place.

"This is your home," he said quietly.

Evie looked at herself in the mirror and realized that while she had put in the effort, she still looked different enough. The lack of contacts helped, but her hair still looked different, as she wore it a lot longer when she lived in the house across the to mention all of the growing up she had done over those years of trying to keep herself alive.

"If you're not going to go to that door, he still is." Victor turned his head to look at Scott approaching the front door. He knew that she would protest, but he didn't expect the click of her seatbelt, so Victor turned and grabbed Evie's arm to keep her from running after Scott to get him to change his mind. "He owes a lot to your family Evie. It maybe wasn't the ideal method of finding out the truth, but he figures the least he can do is say thank you."

**~0~**

Scott had seen Victor's car across the street, but it seemed like Evie was getting cold feet, just like they both thought. It didn't matter though, as Scott was planning on coming here today anyway. His first day at the internship was next week, so he had packed up the rest of his things, ready to fly out tonight, leave Michigan behind.

Knocking on the door, Scott thought over the speech he had planned. There was so much he wanted to tell Evie's father, but until she came around, the most he could show was gratitude.

Sure enough, after a few seconds, he heard footsteps approaching the door and it opened to reveal the person Scott was looking for. "Mr. Hopkins, I don't know if you remember me, but..."

"Mr. Kane... you were asking about Emily, about your father."

Scott nodded, dipping his head down slightly. "I know that it was tough to tell me about your daughter, sir, but..." So many moments, he considered this speech, but now, it was fading away. Looking back up, he noticed how Mr. Hopkins was looking right past him and it was only through his pause that the other man found his words.

"You found her."

"Dad," Evie said through tears, rushing up their driveway, up the stairs to hug her father with all her might. It took every ounce of courage she had to open that car door, to walk towards her house, but that feeling was lost the moment she saw her father. Feeling him return the hug gave her the most satisfying feeling she could imagine. She could hear him choking up, in disbelief that his baby had come home, and there was something about standing on her childhood home's doorstep which allowed Evie to let a few tears to fall as well. After all, it was an event she never expected to happen again.

"I'm sorry," her dad finally managed to say, "I can't believe that I put you through that."

"Hey Dad, who's at the door?"

Surprised to hear her brother's voice, Evie backed away and leaned over to greet him as she sniffed back her tears. "Hey."

Eyes widening in surprise, Will's head soon turned towards the hallway. "Jason... you might want to come here."

"What's going on?" a different voice called from inside the house.

Will chuckled as he took his turn to hug his long-lost sister again. Truth be told, despite their encounter, he never expected her to come home. "You know how Audrey always suspected that girl in the tabloids of being a ringer for Emily?"

His voice still coming from around the corner, Jason replied, "Yeah?"

Will's smile firmly planted, he turned around just in time to see his brother approaching the door. "I think you owe my wife 50 bucks."

"What are you..." Jason's eyes moved away from Will to see Evie at the door. He squinted them a little, but there was no doubt about it... it was her. "But...it can't be..."

Evie sighed as she shook her head, knowing just how crazy the possibility was after all this time. "If I remember it correctly, I accidentally knocked you out with a frying pan when you were sneaking in from your twenty-first birthday party," she said to Jason before turning to Will, "and I have more dirt on you if you keep laughing."

His mouth wide open in shock as the memory came back to him, Jason finally found his voice. "Em?"

Nodding slightly, she smiled, glad to see the resulting smile on his face as she confirmed it. "Evie now, actually..." She looked up and added, "Surprise?"

Jason shook his head and pulled his sister close. "You have some serious explaining to do." Backing away, he finally noticed the people accompanying his sister at the door. "Like who are these guys?"

For a minute, Evie had forgotten they were both standing there. "Scott Kane, Victor Stone... meet my family."

Looking back and forth between everyone, it didn't take long for a sly grin to come across Jason's face. "Come on guys, I'll pour you a drink."

Both guys seemed okay with that, entering the house, leaving Evie to call out, "Take it easy on them please, Jase."

"I always do," her brother replied, waving his hand in the air.

Evie scoffed. "Yeah right." As she entered, she saw Victor turn around to give her a curious look, but Evie just nodded. She knew what her boyfriend had experienced, her overprotective brother would be nothing in comparison.

Still a little choked up, after her father took her coat and hung it up, he said simply, "I'll make sure he does. Make yourself at home."

"Thanks Dad."

When her dad turned the corner, Evie directed her attention back to Will, who was grinning wide. "I'm glad you changed your mind, Jason's going to grill Victor so bad... you know that right?"

"Do I ever... but I warned him."

Evie was ready to see the rest of the house, see how much it changed since she was a teenager, but her movement was stopped by a knock on the house's screen door. Part of her hesitated on turning around, as Evie hadn't had time to establish her cover story with her family yet, but it turned out the person at the door was far from a stranger.

"I hope we're not intruding," Oliver's voice called out and Will didn't take long to let them inside, or from Evie being incredibly confused as to why they were here. Unfortunately, before she had a chance to ask, another person zipped past the doorway.

"Miss me cuz?"

"Is that Bart?" Jason called from the other room, joining them in the entryway. "Hey little man, how're things?"

Bart frowned slightly. "Oh come on... I've grown a little."

While everyone was holding back their chuckles, Evie was just trying to find her words. Her mouth gaped open, but she had no idea where to start. So Scott did it for her. "I knew you'd come around one day, so we're bringing your two lives together... starting over." Standing in front of her, he smiled, hoping she would understand. "Properly this time."

After a quick sigh, Evie turned her head to look at Victor, who was quick on the defence. "Don't look at me, this was all his idea." However, when Evie narrowed her eyes, showing her skepticism, it didn't take long for him to cave. "Okay, I helped, but keep in mind what you told me."

"I... I don't think I made enough for supper," Evie's dad said slowly. It was safe to say that he had no idea how this was all happening, but he was more than willing to host their guests tonight.

"Well, I think I can help with that," Oliver said, turning to put his shoes back on. "We picked up some things on the way, and I don't mind cooking them up if we need."

"Mr. Queen..."

"Call me Oliver, and I insist. Evie, do you want to help me grab some stuff?"

"Sure." At this point, a little fresh air for her would probably be a good idea. "I've been meaning to ask you about those QI issues you were having."

"I can take a night off for a friend." Once they were outside, Oliver waited until the car trunk obstructed the view from the house. "And I need an opinion on something."

**~0~**

After the groceries were dropped off, Oliver kicked Evie out of the kitchen and noticed how the guys were bonding over the ball game in the family room, which led Evie to finding Chloe looking over pictures of her childhood.

"I have to ask... everything that happened, was it worth it?"

Evie shrugged, as Victor always told her that 33.1 was where she found her strength, so maybe it was oddly for the best. "I don't know, but I wished that I could have met all you guys without the baggage."

Setting the photo back down on the table, Chloe took a seat on the nearby couch before fully directed her attention to her friend. "How are things settling in?"

It didn't take long for Evie to sit down next to Chloe, looking out the familiar living room window that looked out to their backyard. "We're a little different than you and Oliver when it comes to the apartment. It isn't furnished yet, minus a mattress and a few chairs. There's a lot of shopping to figure out what works."

"I am curious why you never told me. About him."

"That was because I didn't know my own feelings when it came to him." It was odd admitting that now, but it was also the truth. "When I did, I actually had no intention of telling him, but I remembered the way you felt when Oliver went missing, so when I saw Victor the night I took off, I guess I didn't want any regrets. Even though I wanted nothing more to take it back at the time, I'm glad I did it."

"Moving in together already though... a big step." Thinking back to her own insecurities on this decision, Chloe felt that Evie almost made the decision too fast. Not that she wasn't happy for them, she just wanted to be sure that this what Evie wanted.

"We've done it before. There may have been bars on the windows and filthy floors..." Evie was smiling, but when she turned to see Chloe's far from amused expression, she sighed. "I'm kidding."

Evie then came clean about how Victor had already been working with Oliver to open S.T.A.R labs in Michigan regardless of her choice, about how instead of steaming up the windows like Chloe and Oliver, they had spent that day talking, realizing that they were ready for this step. "Right now, Vic's pretty busy, so I'm mainly working on the domestic stuff, but even he knows that's going to change... H.O.M.E is going to happen, just not right away."

Chloe smiled. "Sounds like you've figured out your whole life."

Her choice of phrasing didn't get past Evie, as she remembered saying those words the night of the bachelorette party. "It's getting there."

The seven years since she had been in this house had been anything but easy. There had been consequences, bloodshed, lives lost, but it helped Evie understand everything that happened, helped her build her strength that much more. While before, Evie felt a need to hold onto her guilt, now she could let it go, while remembering everyone she had lost for the right reasons.

And yes, she still had plenty to figure out. But for the first time in a long time, Evie couldn't wait to see what life had in store for her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>July 31<strong>_

It was beautiful... and a little daunting to stand in front of, but Chloe expected nothing less of Queen Manor. When Oliver said that he wanted to spruce up the place, Chloe was floored. Speaking about his past was something Oliver tended to avoid, so the idea of coming back to his childhood home felt out of the question, but there must have been something about Evie's homecoming that made him realize that it was time.

For two days, he had been here, as Chloe and him agreed that he needed the initial space to get through this. But a few hours ago, he called her, asking for her to dine at his childhood home.

She took a deep breath, taking in the details of the exterior. It would be a work in progress, as the landscaping clearly needed work, but that would come in time. Between the two of them, this place would stand for something again.

"You look beautiful."

Chloe shook from her trance to look towards the door where Oliver was standing. The compliment felt unwarranted, as it was just a simple sundress, one he had given her ages ago. Oliver, on the other hand, had clearly cleaned up, as he was in a comfortable pair of jeans and a t-shirt that wasn't covered in paint or cobwebs.

"Sometimes I can't believe you grew up in a place like this." For as much as she lived with Oliver, knowing the charmed life they had, he was so humble for a man of his stature. More than anything, she knew that if he could give it up and make the world a better place, Chloe was pretty sure that he would. "How are the renos coming?"

"Good," Oliver said as he looked back inside the house. It was far from its former glory, but gone were the mounds of plastic wrap and the abandoned feeling this house use to give. Which was good, because this was a big step for him and he didn't want Chloe to be sneezing every couple of steps.

At the base of the steps leading to the house, Chloe paused, looking up at Oliver once more. "You sure you want me to see this?"

Oliver nodded, holding his hand out to lead Chloe inside. "I'm ready now."

Smiling, Chloe breathed in deeply as whatever he had been cooking smelt amazing, and if Oliver was to be believed prior to now, he had done a lot of work already. It wasn't a home yet, but it was coming along.

"So how long had it been since your last visit?'

"Years." He paused in the doorway to the main room, sighing at the empty state, despite how often it had been a lively place when he was a kid. "This place made me think of my parents, my shortcomings and failures."

"Ollie..." Chloe reached her hand up to his shoulder, which he covered with his own seconds later.

"I know better now." Turning to face her, Oliver quickly found her eyes. "You helped me see that."

Chloe was glad to see him lighten up, which allowed her to turn her focus to the little details of the house as there was something about it that drew her in. "So why come back now?"

"The timing felt right," Oliver replied, grateful to see Chloe's comfort level increasing as she walked through the hallway. Seeing how she was getting closer to the kitchen, Oliver lifted his feet, wanting to be there when she rounded the corner. "I liked the idea of shedding off the cobwebs of the past, but also embracing where I came from to allow for a better future."

"Also known as Evie's latest life philosophy." Chloe laughed momentarily before she turned around, but continued to pace backwards. "Although it has worked, finding peace within herself after carrying that pain all those years."

Standing in front of the entryway to the kitchen, Oliver gestured for Chloe to enter. "Life's struggles have a way making the truth clear. Being isolated on an island helped, but if this year has taught me anything, it's that when life is good, you hold onto everything that makes it that way."

"Oh my..." Chloe almost couldn't believe her eyes as she walked past the kitchen and into the dining room. With the west-facing window, the sunset lit up the table near the window on the far side. Two candles did the rest of the illuminating, where in-between them stood a vase full of tulips. But it was what was sparkling in front of that bouquet that almost stole her attention right away.

"Ollie," she said softly, not trusting herself as she felt tears coming. Approaching the table, she picked up the small brown velvet box. "This is really about _our_ future. To us starting again in the place where it all began."

Wrapping his arms around her from behind, Oliver whispered, "It was my grandmother's." She probably could tell based on the small size of the diamond, the aged state of the box, yet somehow it still fit Chloe. "It's simple, so we can go get something new. I just... as much as I enjoy your expression when I give you something new, I kind of wanted you to say yes this time instead of 'it's too much.'"

"Well your plan worked," Chloe said, not stopping the tears anymore as she turned around in his arms. "Yes."

After wiping the tear from Chloe's cheek, Oliver took the ring from the box and slid it gently on his finger, wondering what he did to be so lucky to have a woman say yes to marrying him without him even asking. He marvelled at her finger for a minute, but after he found her eyes, noticing the way the green had magnified, at how he had never seen her look this happy.

So Oliver kissed her with everything he had, for while they never needed anything official to know that they would be by each other's side, this moment was a reason for them to forget all of the crap they had been through, all of the continuing drama in their lives and just be them. Just be Chloe and Oliver, two people completely content in each other's company.

As the kiss ended, Oliver took a breath and then quipped, "I'm sorry that I didn't get down on one knee."

They both laughed as they kept their faces close to each other. "Unconventional works for me," Chloe said with a shrug, because it wasn't like they did anything how it was normally done anyway.

"In that case, we can sit down for dinner... or how do you feel about christening our new status here?"

She shook her head slightly before she found herself chuckling again. "You never fail to amaze me with that one track mind of yours." Leaning back enough that she could look him in the eyes, Chloe added, "What _am_ I going to do with you?"

Oliver pulled her close once more, as space between them felt optional at this point. "Marry me I hope. But if you're looking for more short-term answers, well, I have a few ideas."

"Well," Chloe replied as she got up on her tiptoes, "in that case, I _might _be open to suggestions."

**~End~**

* * *

><p><em>Sera's Scribbles: And the saga ends. Almost. As you will see, there is one last chapter in the "Second Chances" series (aka my VictorEvie series). Other than that, hopefully you enjoyed the journey, because this has been a pleasure to write._


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